The European Commission has finalized the plans for the EU’s sovereign IRIS satellite broadband service. The plan outlines the detailed design of the satellite constellation, the preparation for satellite production and the development of the ground infrastructure and launch services involved.
The EU Commission has also signed an agreement with European manufacturers and the European Space Agency (ESA) after starting negotiations in January this year. The agreements also define the target pricing for each satellite and the needed investment from private operators.
Interestingly, the finalized deal includes more satellites than initially planned. By adding 66 more satellites to the deal, the constellation will consist of 348 satellites. According to ESA, the additional satellites are crucial for strengthening the constellation’s capabilities for defense, security and emergency services.
The plan is to launch the first satellites in 2029 and deploy services shortly after, within the same year.
It’s important to note that SpaceX’s Starlink has more than 10,000 active satellites in low Earth orbit, making the EU’s constellation tiny in comparison. However, the IRIS services are not meant for the end consumer. It will be used by government states within the EU and other partners such as Norway and Iceland. It’s meant for critical operations when responding to emergencies, humanitarian purposes, and border surveillance.
Still, the network will be made available to businesses and citizens in the future in areas where traditional networks aren’t present or are unreliable.
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