IRIS², the European Union satellite constellation: the implementation agreement of 7 August 2026

On 7 August 2026 the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium signed the implementation agreement for IRIS², the European Union satellite constellation for secure connectivity. The agreement brings the main constellation to 348 satellites, brings the first launches forward to 2029 and marks the move from planning to full-scale deployment. This note sets out its content, legal basis and intended users on the basis of official documents.

The agreement signed on 7 August 2026

IRIS² stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite. The negotiations between the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium, known as Rendezvous 1 and covering the governance, technical set-up and financing of the programme, began in January 2026 and were concluded on 6 August 2026; the implementation agreement was signed the following day. SpaceRISE brings together three European satellite operators: SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat.

The agreement confirms the key parameters of the programme and the adjustments considered necessary, including the design, the system capacity, the deployment schedule, the target price and the investment by private operators. It also confirms the timetable for developing and deploying the satellites, procuring launch services, building the secure ground segment and providing connectivity services. Once the negotiations were concluded, the Commission sent an official letter to the European Parliament and the Member States informing them of the outcome and of the start of the implementation phase.

Legal basis and programme framework

The programme is based on Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 March 2023 establishing the Union Secure Connectivity Programme for the period 2023-2027. The Regulation sets out the objectives, the budget, the forms of Union funding and the rules for implementation. The Union contribution for the period 2023-2027 is set at EUR 2.4 billion in current prices. The primary objective identified by the legislator is to provide Member States with guaranteed access to secure, sovereign and global connectivity services matching their operational needs, from the protection of critical infrastructure to surveillance, and from support for external action to crisis management.

On 16 December 2024 the Commission had signed the twelve-year concession contract with SpaceRISE, turning the planned system into a funded and legally binding project and launching the public-private partnership to design, build, deploy and operate IRIS². In the technical implementation, the European Space Agency (ESA) oversees the development, qualification and in-orbit validation of the constellation, alongside the European Union Agency for the Space Programme, the Member States and European industry.

Constellation architecture and deployment schedule

The constellation will comprise 348 satellites: 330 in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and 18 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO), with additional optional elements that can be deployed to support specific missions. Compared with the original design, the Commission has decided to expand governmental capacity: the design of the satellites in the baseline constellation is being enhanced and a dedicated layer of 66 satellites in higher Low Earth Orbit is being added for defence, security and emergency services.

According to the Commission, the revised architecture will increase secure governmental capacity by 60 per cent within the Union and by 54 per cent worldwide. The revised schedule brings the first launches forward to 2029, with operational connectivity services deployed progressively from that year. The industrial team includes European companies such as Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, together with numerous companies across the supply chain; by design, the programme is also expected to generate opportunities for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps.

Intended users and connectivity gaps

Commission documentation identifies three categories of users. For governmental users, IRIS² is to provide encrypted communications for Union institutions, ministries and embassies, support defence operations, border and maritime surveillance, intelligence-sharing and the protection of critical infrastructure, and ensure reliable connectivity for emergency responders during natural disasters or network outages. For businesses, the applications identified cover transport, energy and banking, as well as services such as remote healthcare and smart grid management. For individuals, the reference is to high-speed internet access in rural areas and in so-called digital dead zones, and to continuity of service when terrestrial networks are disrupted. Authorised governmental users are located in the Member States and in participating countries, currently Norway and Iceland.

The wider context for this dimension is that of connectivity gaps. According to Measuring digital development: Facts and Figures 2025, the annual survey of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) published on 17 November 2025, almost three quarters of the world population are now online, but 2.2 billion people remain offline, most of them in low and middle income countries; mobile broadband coverage is nearly universal, while gaps in quality and affordability persist, as do divides between urban and rural areas. On the European side, Decision (EU) 2022/2481 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 14 December 2022 establishing the Digital Decade Policy Programme 2030 sets among its 2030 targets that all end users at a fixed location be covered by a gigabit network up to the network termination point, and that all populated areas be covered by next-generation wireless high-speed networks with performance at least equivalent to that of 5G.

Funding and Member State contributions

The faster deployment and the increased capacity required for defence and security purposes entail additional investment compared with the initial programme budget. According to the Commission, funding will come from a combination of Union budget resources for the period 2028-2034 and additional investments from Member States and other countries.

Some national contributions have already been announced: Poland has committed EUR 656 million and Hungary EUR 500 million, while Spain has announced investments of between EUR 1.6 and 2 billion. Further Member State contributions are under consideration and the relevant agreements are being finalised.

Outlook

The next steps defined by the Commission, ESA, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme, the SpaceRISE consortium and the industrial partners concern finalising the detailed design of the constellation, preparing the construction of the satellites and of the secure ground infrastructure, procuring launch services and progressively deploying operational connectivity services from 2029 onwards. The total amount of the additional investment, the size of the Member State contributions not yet formalised and the placement of the resources within the 2028-2034 multiannual budget remain to be determined. Regulation (EU) 2023/588 covers the period 2023-2027: the rules applicable to subsequent years will depend on the decisions taken on the next multiannual financial framework.

In dialogue with the 2030 Agenda

Goal 9 (Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure). IRIS² is a reliable and resilient communications infrastructure, built through a European industrial supply chain that includes start-ups and small and medium-sized enterprises.
Goal 10 (Reduced Inequalities). Among the stated purposes is high-speed internet access in rural areas and in areas without adequate terrestrial coverage.
Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities). The system is intended to guarantee connectivity for emergency responders during natural disasters and network outages.
Goal 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions). Encrypted communications for institutions, ministries and embassies and support for crisis management are among the uses foreseen by the programme.
Goal 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). The programme is implemented through a public-private partnership involving the European Union, the Member States, ESA, the European Union Agency for the Space Programme, industry and participating countries.

Sources

Redazione 2030