Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said: “Iris is a major step forward towards creating a more sustainable and efficient aviation industry. It is exciting to see the progress we have made so far – but this is only just the beginning.

“Iris Global will extend the benefits of innovation and operational efficiency beyond Europe to other parts of the world. Reaching carbon neutrality for air traffic management by 2050 will be challenging, but we are hope to contribute through innovation in space to achieve this ambitious goal.”

Iris is backed by a consortium of 16 European partners, including the European Satellite Services Provider (ESSP), which is leading the certification effort. The ESSP was founded by seven national air traffic control organisations from France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland and the UK.

Charlotte Neyret, Chief Executive Officer of the ESSP, said: “The Iris programme is a game-changer for the aviation industry, providing the most advanced new technology to complement datalink communications and meet the challenge of digital, greener and more sustainable air travel. As a stepping stone for the future datalink service provider organisation under discussion, ESSP is proud to lend its expertise on this important programme that will deliver a pan-European certified service for the first time.”