Europe’s answer to Starlink just got bigger and more expensive. The European Commission signed an implementation agreement Aug. 7 with the SpaceRise consortium to build IRIS2, expanding the secure constellation to at least 348 satellites with a price tag exceeding €15.6B ($18B).
The deal, negotiated Aug. 6, adds 66 low Earth orbit satellites to the plan and names HispaSat, part of Spain’s Indra Group, as prime contractor for the ground segment, a €1.6B ($1.85B) slice covering antennas, control systems and land-based network links across the constellation’s orbital layers.
It is the first time a Spanish company leads a consortium role in a major European space project. The commission said the expanded fleet lifts secure governmental capacity by 60% inside the EU and 54% globally for defense, security and emergency services.
SpaceRise brings together operators Eutelsat, SES and HispaSat. The agreement locks in constellation design, satellite construction, secure ground infrastructure and launch services, with operational connectivity rolling out from 2029. First satellite launches are slated for that year.
ESA director Josef Aschbacher framed the milestone in geopolitical terms: “Strategic autonomy starts with independent connectivity. IRIS2 is Europe’s answer to a changing geopolitical reality.”
