On 6 August, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium concluded negotiations and signed an implementation agreement to roll out IRIS , 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.
These negotiations, which began in January, confirmed the programmes key parameters and necessary adjustments, including the 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. Concrete next steps are now in place to achieve first launches by 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.
From plans to deployment: concrete next steps towards 2029
The Commission, the European Space Agency and the EU Agency for the Space Programme, together with the SpaceRISE consortium and European industrial partners, has defined the next steps needed to deliver IRIS . These 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 onwards.
The future constellation will comprise 348 satellites, consisting of 330 satellites in low Earth orbit and 18 satellites in Medium Earth Orbit, with additional optional elements to support specific missions.
A reinforced constellation for security and resilience
To respond to a changing security environment, the Commission is increasing the capacity of IRIS beyond the original design. A dedicated layer of an additional 66 High-low Earth orbit satellites will strengthen capabilities for defence, security and emergency services further enhancing its architecture.
This reinforcement will increase secure governmental capacity by 60% within the EU and 54% globally, while significantly expanding Europe's ability to support critical missions during crises.
European industry commits to delivering IRIS
IRIS will be built through a strong Team Europe approach, combining the expertise of the European Commission, Member States, the European Space Agency, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme and European industry. Under the public-private partnership, the SpaceRISE consortium (consisting of SES, EUTELSAT and HISPASAT) and European manufacturers have committed to deliver the required space and ground infrastructure to meet the accelerated timeline.
The industrial team includes major European space companies such as Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, together with numerous companies across the European supply chain. By design, the programme will also generate opportunities for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps developing innovative space technologies.
With decades of experience in satellite communications, SES is responsible for IRIS 's Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and User Terminal segments, as well as the programme's Operations & Services activities. The company will deploy 18 next-generation satellites and lead the delivery of test and pilot user terminals and the set-up and operation of the governmental control centres, supporting the transition from planning to implementation and helping deliver Europe's secure and resilient connectivity objectives.
Adel Al-Saleh, CEO of SES, said: The completion of RDV1 transitions IRIS from a design phase to an implementation phase. By leading the MEO segment, as well as the user terminal and operations workstreams, SES, together with its SpaceRISE partners, is helping build a critical layer of Europe's future multi-orbit connectivity infrastructure. We now have a clear roadmap and a focus on delivering the secure, resilient and high-performance capabilities that Europe requires.
Secure connectivity when it matters most
IRIS will enable authorised governmental users across EU Member States and participating countries, currently Norway and Iceland, to communicate securely and continuously during critical operations. Whether responding to emergencies, protecting critical infrastructure or supporting security missions, IRIS will provide Europe with an autonomous and resilient connectivity capability.
Ensuring value for money
The faster deployment and increased capacity required for defence and security needs mean an additional investment in the programme budget. This investment will support enhanced satellite technologies and the deployment of the expanded constellation, while ensuring efficient use of existing programme resources. Funding will come from a combination of EU budget resources for 2028-2034 and additional investments from Member States and third countries.
Member States are already strengthening IRIS through national investments to address specific additional needs. Poland and Hungary have already committed 656 million and 500 million respectively, while Spain has announced investments between 1.6 and 2 billion. Further Member State contributions are under consideration, with the relevant agreements currently being finalised.
Next steps
With a clear roadmap setting out the next steps, the Commission sent an official letter to the European Parliament and Member States to inform them of the outcome of the negotiations and the implementation phase.
Under the leadership of the Commission and the technical expertise of the European Space Agency, the SpaceRISE consortium will now accelerate programme develo
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On 6 August, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium concluded negotiations and signed an implementation agreement to roll out IRIS , 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.
