EU finalizes expanded IRIS² satellite network to boost secure broadband

The European Commission announced that it has completed an implementation plan for the IRIS² sovereign satellite broadband service, transitioning the initiative from concept to full-scale rollout. A new agreement with European manufacturers, the European Space Agency and additional partners solidified the constellation's detailed design, satellite production schedule, ground infrastructure and launch arrangements. The constellation will now comprise 348 low-Earth-orbit satellites, 66 more than initially proposed, enhancing capabilities for defence, security and crisis response.

The agency estimates that this boost will raise secure governmental capacity by 60 percent within the EU and 54 percent worldwide. The first satellites are targeted for launch in 2029, with services gradually becoming available that year, initially for government users and later for commercial and civilian customers in remote regions. Unlike SpaceX's commercial Starlink network, IRIS² is intended primarily for secure, reliable communications for EU authorities and partner nations such as Norway and Iceland.