Josef Aschbacher and Andrius Kubilius

A multi-orbit constellation of about 300 satellites that will deliver resilient, secure and fast communications for EU governments, European companies and citizens will be put in orbit after two contracts were confirmed today in Brussels.

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.