SpaceRISE, a European satellite consortium led by SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat, has secured a European Commission contract to build and operate the IRIS² multi-orbit satellite system, a network of over 290 satellites designed to enhance Europe’s digital sovereignty and infrastructure resilience. Supported by a comprehensive Core Team—Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defence and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, and Thales SIX—the project includes players across Europe’s satcom ecosystem. The IRIS² system aims to provide governmental services by 2030, alongside a range of commercial offerings, establishing a secure, competitive communications infrastructure.
SpaceRISE stands for Space Consortium for a Resilient, Interconnected and Secure Europe.
Structured as a 12-year public-private partnership (PPP), the project combines funding from the European Union, the European Space Agency (ESA), and private investments from SpaceRISE’s satellite operators. Through competitive subcontracting policies, SpaceRISE has committed to opening its supply chain to SMEs and new market entrants, stimulating innovation within Europe’s satellite and telecommunications sector. The multi-orbit approach—leveraging satellites across geostationary, medium, and low Earth orbits—will ensure low-latency, high-speed connectivity and robust crisis response capabilities, bridging digital divides and reinforcing Europe’s communications autonomy.
The European Commission’s funding for IRIS², currently secured under its multiannual financial framework, may extend beyond 2027, pending approval of additional budget allocations. SpaceRISE is preparing to finalize the concession agreement by year’s end, with a full operational target in the early 2030s.
• Consortium Members: SES, Eutelsat, Hispasat
• Core Team Partners: Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defence and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat, Thales SIX
• Project Scope: 290+ satellites in multi-orbit configuration with ground support infrastructure
• Funding Structure: Public-private partnership (EU, ESA, SpaceRISE consortium)
• Target Launch Date: Full operational status by 2030
• Strategic Goals: Secure government communications, high-speed commercial services, resilience in crisis response
Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer of Eutelsat commented: “The IRIS² programme is a powerful extension of Eutelsat’s commitment to advancing Europe’s digital sovereignty through sustained investment in multi-orbit technology to deliver multi-layered, low-latency networks, which are essential to Europe’s strategic resilience. We are proud to support the EU on this project alongside the consortium partners to deliver a resilient, future-ready communication system that meets Europe’s most critical connectivity needs, while generating value-creation for Eutelsat and its stakeholders by complementing and enhancing our existing LEO capabilities.”
Miguel Ángel Panduro, Chief Executive Officer of Hispasat added: “We are firmly committed to everything that IRIS² represents: a sovereign secure communications system, supported by European innovative developments and driven by public-private partnership. It is an ambitious project, in which the companies of the SpaceRISE consortium are working to offer the best response to the demands of the European Union. This award is an exciting first step of a project that will define the future of satellite communications in Europe.”
Adel Al-Saleh, Chief Executive Officer of SES said: “Being selected as a trusted partner for IRIS² is an honour. SpaceRISE, based on the European Union’s requirements will define and develop a future-proof space network that will serve as the cornerstone of Europe’s space and defence strategies in the years to come. The IRIS² system is aligned with SES’s multi-orbit network and underscores our commitment to advancing our MEO capabilities, as well as having access to LEO orbit. We will continue to ensure that the contract meets our IRR requirements, cash generation fundamentals, and investment grade metrics.”