Plans to expand the IRIS² constellation, a secure communications network, are underway. Initially proposed with around 290 satellites, critics have labeled it “too late and too small,” according to Nicolas Guillermin, European Commission team leader for security. However, Guillermin defends the plan, calling the initial 290 satellites a “minimum viable product” designed for scalability. “It’s absolutely possible to insert satellites later to develop new services that are built on top of the current architecture,” he stated.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is actively working on enhancing the underlying technology. Their plans include developing low-cost, multi-orbit satellite communications terminals to improve resilience. They will also conduct demonstrations to reduce risks associated with low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites and create a communications backbone for Earth-observation satellites. The ESA estimates these projects will cost approximately 600 million euros ($707.8 million).
Laurent Jaffart, ESA connectivity and secure communication director, highlighted the focus on resilience and real-time capabilities: “We’re looking at further resilience for capacity and for throughput, but we’re also looking at the ability to task satellites in near-real-time or real-time and disseminate data in real-time.” The SpaceRISE consortium, involving SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat, has committed 4.1 billion euros to the anticipated 10.6 billion euro budget. ESA contributed 550 million euros in 2022.
Antonio Abad Martín, Hispasat chief technical officer, emphasizes the ambition of IRIS²: “IRIS² has been designed with the right ambition to put Europe back in the lead of the satellite communication industry.” The constellation will integrate with terrestrial infrastructure, functioning as 5G nodes, and will be upgraded to 6G. Jean-Pierre Diris, French Space Agency CNES interministerial coordinator, notes that the low LEO layer “will help us test and understand the business case for direct-to-device service.” Importantly, Diris clarifies that IRIS² is not a megaconstellation like Starlink or Kuiper, but rather “a constellation for our sovereignty, for protection of our data and continuity of service.”