IRIS² reinforced and accelerated as implementation advances

Written by Copernical Team Friday, 07 August 2026 08:27

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IRIS² is the EU’s satellite network that will provide sovereign, secure, reliable connectivity across Europe and beyond.

On 7 August, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium concluded negotiations and signed an implementation agreement to roll out IRIS², the European Union’s new flagship satellite constellation. The agreement, among other things, adds 66 satellites into low Earth orbit to the programme, bringing the main constellation to 348 satellites, and moving it from planning to full-scale deployment with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA).

Background

IRIS² satellite network will provide sovereign, secure and reliable connectivity across Europe and beyond. It helps protect Europe’s connectivity independence and ensures that governments, emergency services and citizens can stay connected, even in remote areas or during crises.

On 16 December 2024, the Commission signed the 12-year IRIS² concession contract with the SpaceRISE consortium (SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat), turning the EU’s planned secure satellite connectivity system into an officially funded and legally binding project. The agreement launched the public-private partnership to design, build, deploy and operate IRIS².

Since December 2024, the SpaceRISE consortium and the Commission have focused on detailing the system design, allocating industrial work packages, and preparing large-scale procurement for satellites, launch services and ground infrastructure. At the same time, they have continued refining the constellation architecture and security requirements.

The Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium began negotiations on the programme’s governance, technical set-up and financing, known as Rendezvous 1, in January 2026. The negotiations were concluded on 6 August 2026.

Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defence Industry and Space, said: “Today we are taking a decisive step forward for Europe’s security and digital sovereignty. By accelerating the delivery of early defence and security services and reinforcing the IRIS² architecture, we will not only bring the network into operation ahead of schedule but also boost secure governmental capacity by more than 60% within the Union. This reinforced, faster-to-market constellation will give our Member States, emergency services and citizens the resilient, autonomous connectivity they need now and in the crises of the future.”

Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, said: “IRIS² is a clear answer to Europe’s needs for sovereign and secure connectivity. Achieving the critical Rendez-vous 1 programme milestone demonstrates Europe’s ability to deliver a secure and resilient capability that enables independent action and safeguards its essential interests. ESA is working alongside the European Commission to further translate this progress into operational capacity.”

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