EU Unveils IRIS²: A Sovereign Satellite Network for Secure, Independent EU Communications
The European Union has approved a public-private plan to launch IRIS², a sovereign satellite constellation designed to provide redundant, secure communications for EU governments and militaries. Starting in 2029, the system will add 66 satellites for a total of 348 (330 in low Earth orbit and 18 in medium Earth orbit), led by the SpaceRISE consortium (SES, Eutelsat, Hispasat) and funded by the EU and member states, with Spain, Poland, and Hungary taking the lead. While initially a relatively small service focused on backup and resilience, the program aims to reduce reliance on U.S. operators like SpaceX and to build Europe’s own space capabilities, with commercial access possible but public/defense priority.