Jean-François Fallacher, CEO of Eutelsat, a global leader in satellite communications, announced that the successful completion of the IRIS² programme’s First Rendez-Vous marks the transition from planning to execution for Europe’s sovereign multi-orbit connectivity infrastructure.
The expanded constellation will run to 348 satellites: 330 in low Earth orbit from Eutelsat, 18 in MEO from SES. 66 of the LEO satellites are earmarked specifically for defence, security and emergency services, with launch planned from 2029.
Separately, Eutelsat is extending its existing OneWeb network through 2034 with 229 additional satellites on top of the 440 already procured, a roughly €1 billion investment. The new satellites feature an inclined orbital design, advanced beamforming antennas, and 5G NTN technology to allocate network capacity to areas with the highest demand dynamically.
Fallacher identified Starlink and Amazon’s Leo as key competitors for the programme. IRIS² reflects Europe’s broader push for technological sovereignty, extending its focus on cloud computing and chips into satellite connectivity. Because satellite constellations require years to build and deploy, changing providers can be far more complex than simply switching software or cloud services.
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The milestone marks IRIS²’s shift from planning to execution, with manufacturing, system integration and infrastructure deployment now accelerating across Europe. Key suppliers, including Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space and Aerospacelab, will support the timely delivery of the LEO constellation while strengthening Europe’s space industry.
Europe’s push for IRIS² is driven by the need for greater control over critical communications infrastructure, particularly during crises. With IRIS², the EU is betting that governments and defence agencies will prioritize sovereign, secure infrastructure over market share
