IRIS²
| Country/ies of origin | European Union |
|---|---|
| Operator(s) | EUSPA, ESA |
| Type | broadband satellite internet constellation |
| Status | Under development |
| Coverage | Global |
| Constellation size | |
| Nominal satellites | A few hundred, up to 290 LEO and MEO satellites |
| Current usable satellites | None |
| First launch | 2025 (expected) |
| Other details | |
| Cost | €10.5 billion |
| Website | defence-industry-space |
IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) is a planned multi-orbit satellite internet constellation to be deployed by the European Union by 2027. Initial government services are expected to start in 2030. IRIS² will consist of 264 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO), at an altitude of 1,200 km, and 18 satellites in medium Earth orbit (MEO), at 8,000 km.
It is intended to provide secure communications, location tracking and security surveillance services to governmental agencies directly comparable to the US SpaceX Starshield project. The system aims to also provide broadband for private companies and citizens. At contract signing in December 2024, the estimated cost was €10.5 billion, of which €6.5 was public funds.
IRIS² is part of the EU's overall space strategy, including the EU Space Strategy for Security and Defence. The European Space Agency (ESA) is responsible for development and deployment of the system and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme (EUSPA) is responsible for the governmental service provision.