IRIS² reinforced and accelerated as implementation advances
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 adds 66 satellites in low Earth orbit, bringing the main constellation to 348 satellites and moving the programme from planning to full-scale deployment with the support of the European Space Agency (ESA).
ESA plays a key role in IRIS² technical implementation, overseeing the constellation’s development, qualification and in-orbit validation, and translating the programme’s ambitions into industrial delivery. Negotiations, which began in January, confirmed key parameters including design, system capacity, deployment schedule, target price and private operators’ investment. Under the agreement, European manufacturers have committed to delivering the additional satellites, designed with enhanced resilience, with first launches planned for 2029.
The future constellation will comprise 348 satellites: 330 in low Earth orbit and 18 in medium Earth orbit, with additional optional elements to support specific missions. To respond to a changing security environment, the Commission is increasing capacity beyond the original design with a dedicated layer of 66 high-LEO satellites for defence, security and emergency services, enhancing its architecture. This reinforcement will increase secure governmental capacity by 60% within the EU and 54% globally.
Concrete next steps include finalising the detailed design of the satellite constellation, preparing the construction of satellites and secure ground infrastructure, securing launch services, and progressively deploying operational connectivity services from 2029. Once operational, the constellation will provide sovereign, secure and highly reliable connectivity for European governments, defence and security forces, and emergency services across Europe, further strengthening Europe's strategic autonomy and competitiveness.