IRIS² European Satcom Constellation

[kato]

The EU Council has signed off on financing IRIS²:

https://twitter.com/i/web/status/1593541046952148992

IRIS² is intended to be a communications satellite constellation that:

• will consist of up to 200 satellites in low-earth orbit
• will provide secure communications and internet backbone functionality for the European Union, including quantum-key encryption
• will also explicitly be used for both governmental and military purposes
• is explicitly intended to make Europe independent of any commercial offers by companies in 3rd countries (they're not naming Starlink and Elon Musk in this, but leave it to the press to do that)

The programme leverages experiences from the previous "GOVSATCOM" precursor programme, in which the EU effectively aggregated and distributed commercial satcom capacity to member countries on demand.

IRIS² will be the third EU-owned satellite constellation after COPERNICUS (Sentinel dual-use observation satellites) and GALILEO (satellite navigation).

The EU financing for IRIS² is for their development component of 2.4 billion Euro. The constellation is currently planned to cost around 6 billion Euro, with 30% provided by commercial partners buying into it and the rest likely to be financed by EU members through ESA.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

Is it going to be completely launched by ESA from Guyana colonial complex?
Or is to be determined?

 

[kato]

Is it going to be completely launched by ESA from Guyana colonial complex?
Or is to be determined?

To be determined.

Given how it is quite openly positioned against Starlink (and other US providers) though there'd have to be quite heavy lobbying for it to be launched by anyone else.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

I think we already got the answer during current ESA council in Paris.

Joint Statement of France, Germany and Italy on the future of launcher exploitation in Europe - EDR Magazine

At the occasion of the ESA Council Meeting at Ministerial Level held in Paris on 22-23 November 2022, and in

www.edrmagazine.eu

Funding to Ariane and Vega rockets to grow heavily.
Big milestone: IRIS, New class of european astronauts, General council and joint funding for Vega and Ariane launchers...

When Europe works...

 

[SolarisKenzo]

Delete

 

[SolarisKenzo]

The plenary approved the IRISS programme and its initial 2.4 Billions budget.

IRIS²: the EU’s response to Elon Musk’s Starlink… - Renew Europe

The Renew Europe Group welcomes today’s plenary backing of the EU secure connectivity programme , renamed IRIS² , an ambitious plan to deploy an EU-owned…

www.reneweuropegroup.eu

 

[swerve]

To be determined.

Given how it is quite openly positioned against Starlink (and other US providers) though there'd have to be quite heavy lobbying for it to be launched by anyone else.

There's Japan, as well, though I don't know how much capacity they have at present.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

There's Japan, as well, though I don't know how much capacity they have at present.

The last ESA council made somewhat clear that the constellation ( which was finally approved some days ago as I reported, in a record time ) will be launched by ESA with European rockets ( Ariane and Vega ) from Guiana and possibly the new ESA complex in northern Sweden.

At least, that's what I was able to understand.
Regarding Japan, I don't know much so I can't say anything sure.

 

[SolarisKenzo]

I lanciatori al summit Esa. Avio verso la gestione dei servizi del Vega

Allo Space summit Esa di Siviglia, Italia, Francia e Germania firmano un accordo per rilanciare il settore spaziale europeo

formiche.net

Europe targets competitive shake-up in space launch deal

Europe on Monday challenged the private sector to develop services for small rockets that could guide future space reform, while stabilising finances for troubled medium and heavyweight launchers for the coming decade.

www.reuters.com

Big news from ESA that will also impact IRIS.
Avio and Ariane will now compete against each other to streghten Europe's sovereign launchers.
Previously all launches were managed by ArianeSpace, causing the company to favour their own Ariane5 over Vega and slowing down the schedule.

 

[kato]

Compete? It's not like Vega-C and Ariane 6 play even remotely in the same payload class. What it would actually mean is that Arianespace will compete for payloads previously launched on Vega e.g. in multi-satellite launches. Best-case for Avio it would mean ESA countries downsizing payloads to possibly use Vega-C as an alternative, which is possible (in particular for military payloads) but not something that will bring meaningful income.

Germany "pressing for more competition" (Reuters article) shouldn't really be any surprise. After all virtually all the micro-launcher companies within ESA territory are from Germany.