--- title: The EU Is Adding 66 Defence Satellites to IRIS² and Moving First Launches to 2029 description: The European Commission and SpaceRISE have signed an implementation agreement expanding IRIS² to 348 satellites and bringing first launches forward to 2029. author: Darie Nani (Editor-in-Chief) updated: 2026-08-11T13:22:10.889Z canonical: https://www.sovereignmagazine.com/article/eu-iris2-66-defence-satellites-2029-launches image: https://cdn.nanimediahouse.com/iris2-constellation-eu-139664.webp categories: Science & Tech content_type: News region: Europe publication: Sovereign Magazine schema_type: Article --- The European Union has agreed to make its own secure satellite network bigger and to start flying it a year earlier. The implementation agreement that the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium [signed on 7 August](https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/european-union-accelerating-and-reinforcing-iris2-2026-08-07_en) expands IRIS² to 348 satellites, adds a dedicated set of 66 satellites for defence, security and emergency services, and moves the first launches to 2029. IRIS² stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite. Its first users are authorised government bodies across EU member states, plus Norway and Iceland, which need communications that keep working when a crisis is under way. The European Space Agency, which oversees the constellation's development, qualification and in-orbit validation alongside the Commission and SpaceRISE, says the network is also meant to keep emergency services and citizens connected in remote areas and during crises. ## A Dedicated Layer of 66 Satellites Goes to Defence and Emergency Users The Commission is expanding governmental capacity beyond the original design. Satellites in the baseline constellation are being redesigned for stronger security, and an advanced set of 66 satellites in higher low Earth orbit is being added for defence, security and emergency services. The revised architecture will provide 60 percent more secure governmental capacity within the EU and 54 percent more worldwide, and the Commission names defence and security as the primary drivers of the change. It also ties the expansion to pressures from climate change and environmental degradation, which it says can disrupt livelihoods, intensify competition over resources and contribute to displacement, migration and instability. Where those pressures turn into humanitarian or security crises, secure satellite links let governments and emergency services coordinate in places where ground networks are limited or have failed. A post on X on 9 August by the account @IntCyberDigest read the schedule differently, saying Europe was “feeling the fire Starlink lit under it” and that the first launches had been pulled forward a full year, from 2030 to 2029. That framing, and the 2030 comparison, come from the post. The Commission's own material names defence, security and emergency requirements as the driver and does not mention Starlink. ## The Constellation Will Fly 348 Satellites Across Two Orbits The expanded network will comprise 330 satellites in higher low Earth orbit and 18 in medium Earth orbit, launched in successive phases, with optional extra elements that can be deployed for specific missions. Negotiations that began in January settled the design, system capacity, deployment schedule, target price and the level of investment from the private operators involved, according to ESA. What follows is the detailed design, preparation for manufacturing the satellites and the secure ground infrastructure, and the procurement of launch services. The EU Agency for the Space Programme says accredited connectivity services should start reaching users from 2030. ## Member States Are Putting In Money of Their Own Faster deployment and the extra capacity mean more money on top of the original programme. ESA says funding will combine EU budget resources for 2028 to 2034 with investment from member states and other participating countries. Poland has committed €656 million and Hungary €500 million. Spain has announced investment of between €1.6 billion and €2 billion. Further contributions are under discussion, with agreements being finalised. The Commission has written to the European Parliament and to member states setting out the outcome of the negotiations. ## SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat Hold the Concession SpaceRISE, the consortium of satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, holds the 12-year IRIS² concession contract it signed with the Commission on 16 December 2024. Its industrial partners include Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, alongside companies across the European supply chain. The Commission says the programme is also meant to create work for start-ups, small and medium-sized enterprises and mid-caps. ## FAQ **Q: What is IRIS²?** IRIS² stands for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite. Under the agreement signed on 7 August it will consist of 348 satellites, 330 in higher low Earth orbit and 18 in medium Earth orbit, giving authorised government users in EU member states, Norway and Iceland communications that keep working during a crisis. **Q: Is there a European equivalent of Starlink?** IRIS² is the EU's own constellation, but it is designed first for secure government, defence and emergency communications rather than as a consumer broadband product. ESA says it is also meant to help keep citizens connected in remote areas and during crises. A post on X framed the faster timetable as a response to Starlink; the Commission's own material names defence and security as the drivers. **Q: When will IRIS² launch?** The revised schedule targets first launches in 2029. The EU Agency for the Space Programme says accredited connectivity services should follow from 2030, with deployment continuing in phases after that. **Q: Who is delivering IRIS²?** The SpaceRISE consortium of SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat holds the 12-year concession, with Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab among the industrial partners. ESA oversees development, qualification and in-orbit validation alongside the European Commission.