EU reaches agreement to launch IRIS² network for satellite internet – IT Pro – News

The European Union and its member states have reached an agreement on the Secure Connectivity programme. The EU will launch an Internet satellite constellation called IRIS². It will be the EU’s third satellite constellation, after Galileo and Copernicus.

The European Commission confirms that the European Parliament and the EU Member States reached a political agreement for the launch of IRIS². This constellation of satellites is expected to be used for government and defense purposes, such as border surveillance, crisis management and secure communication between European embassies. The space network is to serve, among other things, as a backup for terrestrial communication methods in the event of major breakdowns or disasters.

The network must also be able to be used by companies in the private sector, writes the EU an article with further explanations. For example, companies can use the IRIS² constellation to offer B2B services or to provide broadband Internet in Europe and Africa, even in places traditionally not covered.

The EU will invest €2.4 billion in the satellite network. The private sector must contribute the remaining €3.6 billion, writes Reuters. The network is built step by step. According to the current schedule, IRIS² will be online for the first time around 2024. The network is expected to be fully operational by 2027. According to Reuters, up to 170 satellites will be launched in the coming years low earth orbit.

The European Commission already drew up in February the plan to launch its own space communication system for government purposes and broadband Internet. Tweakers then released a background story on the plans for IRIS² and the criticisms of it.