EU accepts SpaceRISE bid for satellite mega-constellation project

The European Commission has taken a small step towards creating its sovereign Internet constellation to rival the likes of Elon Musk’s Starlink. 

The Commission said in a press release it will award the 12-year contract for IRIS2 to the SpaceRISE consortium before the end of the year, a group of satellite companies with bases in the EU including Eutelsat, Hispasat and SES, after accepting their “best-and-final-offer.” 

The IRIS2 project will develop a satellite constellation of 290 satellites that will provide reliable internet to the EU’s government bodies, private companies, and EU citizens. 

The mega-constellation should help European bodies “respond to crises, protect essential infrastructure, and bridge the digital divide,” a press release from SpaceRISE said. 

“Being selected as a trusted partner for IRIS2 is an honour,” Adel Al-Saleh, chief executive officer of SES said in a press release.

“Spacerise … will define and develop a future-proof space network that will serve as the cornerstone of Europe’s space and defence strategies in the years to come.” 

The press release didn’t record the amount the contract is worth, but the Commission estimated it would be worth €6 billion in 2023, with a majority of the funding coming from the EU and the European Space Agency (ESA) until 2027. 

The announcement comes after a series of delays for the IRIS2 deal.

The project, first announced in 2022, was supposed to be fully operational by 2027 but the EU might have to wait until 2030 now, a press release from SpaceRISE said.