The European Commission has signed a deal to add 66 satellites to the IRIS² network, which brings the total to 348. The decision marks a shift from planning to active deployment. The project, which includes the European Space Agency, locks in construction details, ground infrastructure plans, and pricing.
IRIS²'s mission and expansion
The constellation is focused on supporting government, defense, and security uses. The ESA says the expansion will raise secure capacity within the EU by 60 percent and globally by 54 percent. These satellites will be in low Earth orbit and are intended to support emergency responses and critical missions.
The project is not trying to match the scale of SpaceX's Starlink, which has over 10,000 active satellites. IRIS²'s focus is on reliability for state needs, including humanitarian aid and border monitoring. Its eventual plan includes extending the service to businesses and citizens in areas lacking traditional connectivity.
Timeline and future use
The first satellites are expected to be launched in 2029, with services rolled out gradually starting that same year. Unlike Starlink's commercial goals, IRIS² is built to serve government users first, expanding to others once it establishes its core capabilities.