ESA to support the development of EU’s secure communication satellites system

The IRIS² constellation - which stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite - will comprise hundreds of satellites in low Earth orbit and others in medium Earth orbit. Placing interlinked satellites into these different orbits will enable the constellation to communicate securely and quickly and remain constantly connected without needing thousands of satellites. An additional layer in low Earth orbit providing further services will also be developed.

Launched by European rockets, the IRIS² constellation will promote European autonomy, resilience and competitiveness. It will ensure uninterrupted access to secure governmental connectivity services and provide high-end commercial services. IRIS² builds on ESA's ongoing delivery of constellations for the EU, including Copernicus, the world's largest Earth-observation programme, and Galileo, the world's most accurate civilian satellite-navigation system. As the third EU flagship space programme, IRIS² will be a strategic asset for the EU in support of its sovereignty.

ESA is supporting the development of IRIS² through a Partnership Project contract with an industrial consortium called SpaceRISE selected by the European Commission. A 12-year concession contract between the European Commission and SpaceRISE - which is led by European satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat - was signed by Timo Pesonen, the European Commission's Director-General for Defence, Industry and Space, Adel Al-Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of SES, Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat, and Miguel Ángel Pandura Panadero, Chief Executive Officer of Hispasat. A second contract between ESA and the SpaceRISE consortium was signed by Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director for Connectivity and Secure Communications. The full consortium will include satellite manufacturers and other companies as well as small and medium-sized enterprises.

The total cost for the full duration of the 12-year concession contract amounts to €10.6 billion. This will be funded by the EU for €6 billion, over three financial perspectives, by ESA for €550 million and by the private sector for over €4 billion.

ESA has a key role in IRIS², with the European Commission leveraging the Agency's decades-long track record of experience in developing and implementing space programmes in collaboration with Industry. The 12-year concession contract will see ESA monitoring development and validation activities performed by the industrial consortium. The first launch for IRIS² is envisaged in 2029.

Timo Pesonen, the European Commission's Director-General for Defence, Industry and Space, said: "The Commission has delivered on the Union's imperative need for an autonomous and secure connectivity capability. IRIS² underpins our strategic autonomy and defence capacity, promotes our competitiveness, and energises public and private sectors cooperation."

Josef Aschbacher, Director General of ESA, said: "In an increasingly complex geopolitical world, ensuring resilient, secure and fast governmental communications is essential. ESA will play a crucial role in the technical implementation of the IRIS² programme. ESA's excellence will foster innovation in the European space industry, boost European competitiveness, create jobs and attract talents to Europe. The Commission's trust in ESA to oversee the development of the constellation and its ground infrastructure speaks volumes of ESA's successful track record in the delivery of European flagship programmes. ESA is ready to deliver again, for Europe and its citizens."

Adel Al-Saleh, Chief Executive of SES, said: "We are honoured to lead the SpaceRISE consortium to work with the European Commission and the European Space Agency on the IRIS² project. IRIS² is integral to Europe's space strategy and is already fostering enhanced collaboration and innovation between the industry and public sectors. By strategically coming together, we will be able to ensure architecture resiliency and security from day one of the system launch. With the EC as an anchor customer of the constellation, our investment in IRIS² will see us augment our medium Earth orbit capabilities while executing our required rate of return, maintaining investment grade balance sheet metrics, and returning cash to our shareholders."

Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat, said: "The IRIS² programme is a landmark initiative that embodies Europe's commitment to digital sovereignty, resilience, and strategic autonomy. At Eutelsat, we are uniquely positioned to bring unparalleled expertise to this mission, leveraging our pioneering capabilities, including our cutting-edge low Earth orbit constellation. By combining this advanced infrastructure with the collective strengths of the SpaceRISE consortium, we will deliver a transformative communications backbone that addresses Europe's most critical connectivity needs of our governments, reinforces its leadership in space innovation, and bridges the digital divide for millions of citizens and businesses across the continent. This project is a testament to Eutelsat's vision of driving secure and sustainable connectivity for a resilient Europe."

Miguel Ángel Panduro, Chief Executive Officer of Hispasat, said: "The signing of IRIS² is a historical milestone for European space. Hispasat was born out of public-private collaboration to provide government and commercial communications in geographical areas of interest to our country. We are therefore convinced that, through SpaceRISE, we will not only guarantee the secure communications of the Member States, but also contribute to generating a more innovative and competitive ecosystem at a time of special relevance for the European space industry."