16 Dec 2024

ESA confirmed two contracts with the European Commission and industrial consortium, SpaceRISE, today in Brussels, Belgium. The contracts signify the kick-start of the IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) programme, with the first launch envisioned in 2029.

The signature event marks the beginning of the European Union’s new flagship space programme, building on ESA’s ongoing delivery of constellations for the EU, including Copernicus, the world’s largest Earth-observation programme, and Galileo, the world’s most accurate civilian satellite-navigation system. It will build a multi-orbit satellite constellation which will provide the EU and its Member States with secure connectivity services for government authorities, businesses and citizens, as well as play a role in connecting underserved communities, to help bridge the digital divide.

The earmarked budget for IRIS² is €10.6 billion, with €6.5 billion coming from public funding (including €550 million from ESA’s Partnership Projects programme addressing the most critical elements of the system), and over €4 billion funded by industry. The constellation is to be launched on European rockets, showcasing Europe’s need and commitment to developing increasingly critical space capabilities, with ESA playing a key role in supporting Europe’s independence and autonomy.

A 12-year concession contract between the European Commission and the industrial consortium called SpaceRISE that is led by European satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, was signed by Timo Pesonen, the European Commission’s Director-General for Defence, Industry and Space, Adel Al-Saleh as CEO of SES S.A., Eva Berneke as CEO of Eutelsat S.A., and Miguel Ángel Pandura Panadero as CEO of Hispasat S.A..

Laurent Jaffart, ESA Director for Connectivity and Secure Communications, signed the second contract between ESA and the SpaceRISE consortium. The consortium brings together Hispasat and Eutelsat alongside SES as satellite operators. They will contract with manufacturers and other key actors of the supply chain, including SMEs and midcaps.

Through the Contribution Agreement, ESA and the Commission defined a set of entrusted tasks for ESA to implement and the relations between the institutions. This includes developing critical elements of the system with low technology readiness levels and high risk of development, as well as appropriate coordination mechanisms between activities.

As a trusted partner of the Commission, ESA, as the Qualification and Validation Authority, will supervise the development activities in the name and on behalf of the Commission with the SpaceRISE consortium as part of a 12-year contract, with efforts being made to implement 5G standards to enable interoperability between systems.

IRIS² will be a multi-orbit constellation, with approximately 300 satellites spanning across Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). By utilising both orbits, the constellation will benefit from the low latency of LEO and the wider coverage of MEO, providing a superior commercial and sustainable system that is competitive and reduces the need to deploy two constellations to offer the same capabilities. An additional layer in Low LEO providing further services will also be developed and launched.

“In an increasingly complex geopolitical world, ensuring resilient, secure and fast governmental communications is essential. ESA will play a crucial role in the technical implementation of the IRIS² programme. ESA’s excellence will foster innovation in the European space industry, boost European competitiveness, create high-skill jobs and attract talents to Europe. The Commission’s trust in ESA to oversee the development of the constellation and its ground infrastructure speaks volumes of ESA’s successful track record in the delivery of European flagship programmes. ESA is ready to deliver again, for Europe and its citizens,” said Josef Aschbacher, ESA’s Director General.

“Working with our partners at the European Commission and SpaceRISE, we are proud to support the development, qualification and in-orbit validation of the next EU flagship programme for space. Through ESA’s Connectivity and Secure Communications directorate, we will leverage decades of experience in developing and implementing space programmes with Industry. We look forward to carrying forward the implementation of the programme hand-in-hand with the colleagues from the European Commission,” said Laurent Jaffart, ESA’s Director of Connectivity and Secure Communications.

“The Commission has delivered on the Union’s imperative need for an autonomous and secure connectivity capability. IRIS² underpins our strategic autonomy and defence capacity, promotes our competitiveness, and energises public and private sectors’ cooperation,” said Timo Pesonen, European Commission’s Director-General for Defense Industry and Space.

“We are honoured to lead the SpaceRISE consortium to work with the European Commission and the European Space Agency on the IRIS² project. IRIS² is integral to Europe’s space strategy and is already fostering enhanced collaboration and innovation between the industry and public sectors. By strategically coming together, we will be able to ensure architecture resiliency and security from Day 1 of the system launch. With the European Commission as an anchor customer of the constellation, our investment into IRIS² will see us augment our MEO capabilities while executing our required rate of return, maintaining investment grade balance sheet metrics, and returning cash to our shareholders,” said Adel Al-Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of SES.

“IRIS² programme is a landmark initiative that embodies Europe’s commitment to digital sovereignty, resilience, and strategic autonomy. At Eutelsat, we are uniquely positioned to bring unparalleled expertise to this mission, leveraging our pioneering capabilities, including our cutting-edge LEO constellation. By combining this advanced infrastructure with the collective strengths of the SpaceRISE consortium, we will deliver a transformative communications backbone that addresses Europe’s most critical connectivity needs of our governments, reinforces its leadership in space innovation, and bridges the digital divide for millions of citizens and businesses across the continent. This project is a testament to Eutelsat’s vision of driving secure and sustainable connectivity for a resilient Europe,” said Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat.

“The signing of IRIS² is a historical milestone for European space. Hispasat was born out of public-private collaboration to provide government and commercial communications in geographical areas of interest to our country. We are therefore convinced that, through SpaceRISE, we will not only guarantee the secure communications of the Member States, but also contribute to generating a more innovative and competitive ecosystem at a time of special relevance for the European space industry,” said Miguel Ángel Panduro, Chief Executive Officer of Hispasat.