May 20, 2026
Element 3: Support to IRIS² User Adoption, Low LEO Pre-Operational and De-Risk Activities, and IRIS² Evolution Preparatory Activities
Element 3 quick links
Element 3 of the ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity represents a major evolution of ESA’s contribution to Europe’s flagship secure connectivity system, IRIS². Element 3 introduces a set of complementary, forward-looking activities designed to strengthen resilience, accelerate user adoption, and expand capabilities beyond those covered by the existing Concession Agreement. Together, these components address key gaps while laying the foundations for the next phases of IRIS² development.
Element 3 plays a critical role in enabling IRIS² to reach its full potential as a secure, resilient, and future-proof connectivity infrastructure. By reducing technological dependencies, supporting large-scale user adoption, and extending capabilities through the Low LEO layer, it strengthens both the immediate performance of the system and its capacity to evolve over time, including the effective deployment of future services aligned with emerging needs.
Through the ESA Programme Related to EU Secure Connectivity, the Element is structured around four main components, each addressing a key aspect of the development and future evolution of IRIS²: support to IRIS² user adoption, Low LEO pre-operational, de-risk activities, and IRIS² evolution preparatory activities. Together, they provide a clear framework to support current implementation while preparing the system for future needs.
Support to IRIS² User Adoption
A key component of Element 3 is to support the user adoption to IRIS², which addresses a critical gap in the current programme: the industrialisation and standardisation of user terminals.
The IRIS² User Adoption component of Element 3 promotes the development of a robust ecosystem of user terminals. A key objective is to ensure interoperability, not only within IRIS² but also with other systems, through certification frameworks and standardisation efforts.
ESA’s role is particularly prominent in the development of terminal standards and testing facilities, which are essential for enabling secure services. In parallel, the programme supports design innovations that enable industrial-scale manufacturing, such as automated testing and cost-efficient production techniques.
By addressing these aspects, Element 3 helps ensure that IRIS² services are not only technically viable but also commercially scalable and widely adopted across both governmental and commercial markets.
Low LEO Pre-Operational and De-Risk Activities
The IRIS² Low LEO Pre-Operational and De-Risk Activities components are part of the Element 3 of the ESA Programme and are intended to provide pre-operational service validation and in-orbit demonstration opportunities.
Together, these two components aim at enabling rapid and recurrent cycles, aligned with ESA Ministerial Council cycles, and establish a structured pathway for the progressive maturation and de-risking of system concepts and services prior to their integration into the EU IRIS² system.
This approach enables EU IRIS² to evolve continuously and remain at the cutting edge of space-based connectivity by supporting rapid development cycles, thereby enabling the effective evolution and deployment of future services in response to emerging needs and evolving requirements.
IRIS2 Evolution Preparatory Activities
The IRIS² Evolution Preparatory Activities component aims to ensure Europe’s secure connectivity infrastructure can adapt to future technological, operational, and geopolitical demands. Central to this ambition is the role of IRIS² as the secure communication backbone for a broader European space ecosystem, linking Earth observation, navigation, and defence-related systems, and reinforcing Europe’s strategic autonomy.
A key aspect of this evolution is the adoption of a system-of-systems approach, in which IRIS² acts as the central connectivity layer that enables seamless data exchange across multiple space and ground assets. The preparatory activities focus on defining advanced capabilities such as rapid satellite tasking, high-capacity data relay, near real-time data dissemination, and improved direct-to-user services.
