Europe Scales Up IRIS² Satellite Constellation in Strategic Bid for Digital Sovereignty

The EU has finalized plans for its $18B sovereign space network, aiming to accelerate deployment and enhance connectivity as a European alternative to Starlink.

The European Union has officially moved forward with the accelerated expansion of its IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) constellation. The project, which now carries a price tag of approximately $18 billion, is designed to serve as a secure, sovereign alternative to existing commercial networks like Starlink. Recent developments include the successful conclusion of the 'IRIS² Rendez-vous 1' phase, where industry partners—including major player SES—advanced technical strategies for the next-generation Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) architecture. Th…