The European Union is investing 10.6 billion euros in a network of satellites to provide an alternative to Starlink. Called Iris², the network will serve businesses and individuals in addition to governments.
The EU is setting aside 10.6 billion euros for IRIS². That acronym stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite. A preliminary agreement to develop IRIS² dates back to 2022, but now funds are being released. The network will be built by the SpaceRISE consortium, made up of several European companies.
IRIS² should provide an alternative to Starlink. The EU wants to build its own connectivity network in space so as not to depend on external parties for strategic capabilities. Today, for example, Ukraine enjoys Starlink Internet by grace of SpaceX boss Elon Musk. The EU would rather spare itself such dependence.
LEO and MEO
IRIS² will be a network of 290 Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites. In doing so, the network sits between traditional satellite Internet, which relies on one or a handful of large satellites in very high geosynchronous orbit, and Starlink. SpaceX’s network consists of thousands of artificial satellites in a low moon around Earth. The network should be operational by 2030.
The SpaceRISE consortium awarded the contract consists of experienced European companies. The consortium is led by existing satellite network operators SES SA, Eutelsat SA and Hispasat S.A. They are supported by an ecosystem of organizations including Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defense and Space, Orange and Deutsche Telekom. The intent is clear: European parties should use European expertise to build a European network.
Modern network
The public-private partnership will lead to a network that supports modern standards such as 5G, and is compatible with (quantum) cryptographic standards. Governments can then use IRIS² for sensitive connectivity worldwide, while businesses and individuals may also subscribe to the network.
The SpaceX competition thus serves a noble ambition. Moreover, thanks to EU support, the network will come to fruition with great certainty. How competitive it will be next to SpaceX’s Starlink, though, remains to be seen. 2030 is still an eternity away, and chances are slim that Elon Musk will be sitting still by then. Besides, Starlink is already fully operational today, and SpaceX can launch its satellites into space much cheaper than the EU.