Europe's IRIS² Satellite Project: A Challenge to Starlink

The European Commission has awarded contracts for the 10.6 billion euro IRIS² satellite constellation, aiming to create a secure communication network for the EU. Despite industrial disputes and competition from Starlink, the project involves a consortium of operators and plans its first launch in 2029.

The European Commission has announced new contracts to launch the 10.6 billion euro IRIS² satellite project. The initiative seeks to build a secure European communication network in response to Elon Musk’s Starlink and other emerging internet technologies.

Josef Aschbacher, director general of the European Space Agency, emphasized the importance of robust governmental communications amid global geopolitical tensions. The IRIS² venture is the EU's third significant space project after Galileo and Copernicus.

IRIS², partly funded by the EU, has faced challenges, including industrial disagreements and Germany's cost concerns. Yet, competition from Starlink has accelerated efforts, rallying three satellite operators for a 2029 launch and an aim for completion by 2030.