Through the agreement, ESA and AEE intend to strengthen cooperation on the ESA programme related to EU secure connectivity. It aims at establishing a framework for exploring increased programme activities in Spain and foster closer technical cooperation between ESA and AEE. This includes the creation of a dedicated IRIS² Integrated Project Team in Spain, with particular focus on ESA’s Low-LEO layer activities.

Ultimately, the agreement opens the door to broader future collaboration in areas such as resilience, navigation, and connectivity.

Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said: “With IRIS², Europe is building the next generation of secure connectivity from space. Through this agreement with Spain, ESA is advancing the technologies and partnerships needed to ensure these systems are resilient, trusted, and under European control.”

Diana Morant, Spain’s Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities, said: “Spain has stopped looking at the future with resignation and has started building it with technological and industrial ambition”, and expressed her conviction that “space must serve to improve the lives of those of us living on Earth.”