3 min readNew DelhiDec 19, 2024 08:13 AM IST
First published on: Dec 18, 2024 at 04:00 PM IST
With the space race once again heating up, the European Union recently announced that it has signed the contract for the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), a multi-orbital constellation of 290 satellites.
Developed in partnership with SpaceRISE, an alliance of leading European satellite operators and space companies, IRIS² may pose a serious threat to SpaceX’s Starlink internet service, which is currently available in more than 100 countries and territories worldwide.
What is IRIS² and how does it fare against Starlink?
IRIS² is the European Union’s third flagship addressing and is designed to offer connectivity services to governmental users as well as private companies and individuals. According to the European Space Agency (ESA), IRIS² will use both Medium Earth Orbit and Low Earth Orbit satellites to provide secure connectivity and high-speed broadband in zones where network connectivity is low or unavailable.
The agency also said that instead of deploying thousands of satellites like Starlink, its interlinked satellites which comprise of 264 and 18 satellites in low and medium Earth orbits respectively will enable it to offer secure high-speed internet connectivity without needing thousands of satellites.
Compared to Starlink, which has already deployed over 7,000 low Earth satellites, the European Space Agency’s IRIS² internet satellite service may sound minuscule, but it should be noted that the latter only plans to cover Europe.
European Space Agency says IRIS² will only offer internet services to member states. (AI-Generated)
What will IRIS² be used for?
The European Space Agency says IRIS² will “support a large variety of governmental applications”, with a focus on border and maritime surveillance, crisis management, connection and security of key infrastructure and security and defence of important.
The system can also be used for maritime, railway, aviation, automotive, smart energy grid management, banking, overseas industrial activities, remote healthcare and enhancing rural connectivity.
As for civilian use, IRIS² will also offer mobile and fixed broadband satellite access, cloud-based services and can also be used in the transportation sector to navigate areas with no or low connectivity.
The 12-year-long concession contract for IRIS² will SpaceRISE will see the European Union serving as the anchor for services, with funding from the EU, ESA and private firms that are part of the SpaceRISE consortium, which includes network operators like SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat along with some satcom subcontractors like Airbus and Deutsche Telekom.
The total cost of the full duration of the 12-year concession contract amounts to €10.6 billion, which roughly translates to $11 billion, with the first launch planned sometime in 2029.
IRIS² will have 290 satellites in Earth's low and medium orbit. (Image Source: European Space Agency) 
European Space Agency says IRIS² will only offer internet services to member states. (AI-Generated)
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