Component

EU secure connectivity programme / IRIS²

IRIS² will provide secure satellite communications for governments and reliable broadband for citizens across Europe and beyond.

Today’s world is increasingly digital and interconnected. Many of us take internet connectivity for granted, expecting to connect anywhere, at all times, and in areas without cell towers, such as in the sky when in an airplane or at sea when on a cruise, or even in areas such as the connectivity “dead zones” in the EU and in Africa where high speed internet and mobile coverage is extremely limited or not available. 

In disaster-struck areas, terrestrial networks can be damaged or destroyed, limiting rescuers’ ability to coordinate and organise. Governmental users, from embassy personnel to armed forces, need access to secure communications, as regular channels might be compromised, degraded, or destroyed. 

IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite), the EU’s newest space flagship, is designed to meet these needs. It is a cutting-edge satellite communication system that provides secure connectivity for European governments and high-speed broadband for citizens and businesses.  The IRIS² constellation is currently under deployment and expected to become operational by 2030. 

IRIS² will support a wide variety of governmental applications, both civilian and military, mainly in the domains of situational awareness (e.g. border surveillance), crisis management and the connection and protection of key infrastructures (e.g. secure communications for EU embassies). Plus, it will strengthen EU’s sovereignty and security and provide a foundation for European growth, competitiveness, and innovation. 

Secure connectivity is essential for defense, critical infrastructure, and bridging the digital divide. The EU is developing IRIS², a cutting-edge satellite constellation of around 300 satellites launching Europe's first public-private partnership of its kind. By 2030, IRIS² will provide secure, high-speed internet to government and private users across underserved areas, ensuring Europe's independence in satellite connectivity.
How it works

IRIS² is a planned constellation composed of about 300 satellites, launched in both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) to reap the benefits of both.  

Via a Public-Private Partnership (PPP), IRIS² combines the private sector’s innovation and agility with the public sector’s stability and long-term vision. The system will be operational by the end of the decade. 

The new multi-orbital constellation of 290 satellites will combine the benefits offered by Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) and Low Earth (LEO) satellites. It is set to provide secure connectivity services to the EU and its Member States as well as broadband connectivity for governmental authorities, private companies and European citizens, while ensuring high-speed internet broadband to cope with connectivity dead zones.

IRIS² services

IRIS² will improve connectivity for government, business, and individual users, each with their own needs and requirements. 

Government

IRIS² will support border and maritime surveillance, crisis management, protection of key infrastructure, and security and defence.

Businesses

IRIS² will support commercial applications in transportation, smart energy grid management, banking, oversea industrial activities, remote healthcare, rural connectivity and reinforced networks by satellite.

Individuals

The system will have mass-market applications for mobile and fixed satellite broadband, access cloud-based services, and provide high-speed internet connectivity, especially in ‘digital dead zones’ which can be impacted by poor access and low speeds.

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