The European Commission (EC) has announced that the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) project will now go ahead with operations expected to begin in 2030. This is three years later than the original announcement made in 2022.
IRIS² is a Starlink-like service that will allow users outside conventional networks to access the internet via satellite. The conflict in Ukraine has prompted the IRIS² system to be developed urgently as the European Union (EU) does not want to rely on third-party services.
When fully operational, IRIS² will have 290 satellites, with 272 placed in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 18 in medium Earth orbit (MEO). To make IRIS² a success, the SpaceRISE consortium has been established.
It consists of three European satellite operators: SES SA, Eutelsat SA, and Hispasat S.A. They will be supported by experts such as Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defence and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, and Thales SIX. The project cost is estimated to reach €10.6 billion (~RM 50 billion).