The European Commission has signed a 12-year concession contract for the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) with a view to reinforcing Europe’s sovereignty and technological leadership.
The constellation of 290 satellites, implemented by a cross-industry consortia of space, digital and deep tech firms, is set to provide secure connectivity services to EU member states and high-speed broadband for private companies and citizens.
According to Henna Virkkunen, the vice-president for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, “this cutting-edge constellation will protect our critical infrastructures, connect our most remote areas and increase Europe’s strategic autonomy.”
https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_24_6439