EU expands IRIS² constellation to 348 satellites, costs soar to €15.6B

Europe’s IRIS² secure-connectivity constellation will grow to at least 348 satellites with total costs estimated at €15.6 billion, up from prior plans. The expansion adds 66 high-LEO satellites while the MEO shell remains at 18 and the low-LEO segment remains led by Hispasat. Funding will come from the SpaceRISE consortium (about €4B) and the EU/ESA (about €11.6B), with launches expected to begin in 2029. The upgrade is aimed at boosting secure government capacity inside the EU by around 60% and by 54% outside the EU, delivering a faster-to-market system for defense, security and public-safety services.