European companies form a coalition to build the new IRIS² satellite comm network

[Alfonso Maruccia]

Why it matters: Europe is betting on its own homegrown space expertise to create a new communication network free of Elon Musk's (or even China's) influence. Thus, a new coalition is born with the ambitious goal of building the network in a very short time frame.

Last November, European Union Commissioner Thierry Breton announced a plan for a satellite constellation capable of providing global communication coverage. IRIS² would put the new satellite fleet in low-Earth orbit, boosting Europe's autonomy in the space communication market with a "clear ambition and sense of direction."

Now, a group of major European space and telecom companies has formed a partnership conceived to effectively answer Brussels' call to action. The "open consortium" will be governed by Airbus Defence and Space, Eutelsat, Hispasat, SES, and Thales Alenia Space, while also relying on space expertise provided by the following European companies: Deutsche Telekom, OHB, Orange, Hisdesat, Telespazio, and Thales.

The consortium is being formed with the aim to create a "state-of-the-art satellite constellation" based on a multi-orbit architecture, which will be interoperable with the terrestrial communication ecosystem. To minimize bureaucratic issues and promote efficiency, an integrated team with "best-in-class" talents will be formed as well.

The IRIS² network will bring a new secure and resilient connectivity infrastructure to European governments, businesses and citizens, the coalition highlights. And while the initiative is promoted by already established space players, the consortium says it will encourage start-ups, mid-Cap and SME companies to join the partnership for a more innovative and competitive European space market.

With IRIS², Europe is investing € 2.4 billion (plus additional funds from the European Space Agency and private investors) to create new business models and provide commercial services to "bridge the digital divide across European territories," while increasing the Old Continent's global outreach and competitiveness as a "space and digital power" on par with other global players.

As a matter of fact, the European Commission felt it needed to avoid relying on Elon Musk's Starlink initiative for its own secure and resilient space communication network. China is also in the process of building its satellite fleet, but Europe cannot possibly go the Asian route if it doesn't even trust US-based Starlink to guarantee its own autonomy and self-reliance.

Brussels' plans for IRIS² estimate a total cost of € 6 billion to complete the new space network. If everything goes according to plan, and the new coalition can overcome the many obstacles posed by Europe's fragmented and contentious structure, global communication coverage could be ready by 2027.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/98564-european-companies-form-coalition-build-new-iris-satellite.html

 

[Mouseface]

Good news

 

[wiyosaya]

More clutter in space. I wonder how long it will take for satellites from various constellations to crash into each other?

And this is another constellation that astronomers will not like.

Maybe good for Europe, maybe not.

 

[dangh]

Good news. EU neds to be self-sufficient in order to be competitive. And satellites, while have some drawback, are best way for communication without any limitations - unless we will be able to utilise quantum entanglement.

 

[3volv3d]

Good news. EU neds to be self-sufficient in order to be competitive. And satellites, while have some drawback, are best way for communication without any limitations - unless we will be able to utilise quantum entanglement.

As above people have said, cluttered space. You need to get rid of old sats, and debris. An Anime called Planetes, made a point that screws at speed will cut thru space craft, so when your kids are on that School trip to Mars, remember it was your love of technology that killed them.

Because governments don't pay to clean stuff up, unless enough people have died prior, they don't put safety in place first, they want casualties to prove the spending is required. And this will be no different.

 

[psycros]

Nobody is making more spectrum so all this will do is increase the battle for bandwidth.

 

[kiwigraeme]

More clutter in space. I wonder how long it will take for satellites from various constellations to crash into each other?

And this is another constellation that astronomers will not like.

Maybe good for Europe, maybe not.

There's a car up there driving around collecting all the junk up

 

[dangh]

As above people have said, cluttered space. You need to get rid of old sats, and debris. An Anime called Planetes, made a point that screws at speed will cut thru space craft, so when your kids are on that School trip to Mars, remember it was your love of technology that killed them.

Because governments don't pay to clean stuff up, unless enough people have died prior, they don't put safety in place first, they want casualties to prove the spending is required. And this will be no different.

Oh, I loved planetes, great series. But do not worry, people greatly underestimate vastness of space even on lower earth orbit. With proper procedures not much crazy can happen, unless another ***** country decide to test their space wars and destroy some satellites on the orbit creating multitude of small high speed waste. We can easily keep thousands of satellites and only issue will be complaining astronomers... and not much more, as people living in proximity of cities have nearly forgotten how stars looks like anyway.
Given, of course, a proper maintenance and plans to deorbit satellites at the end of life will be taken under consideration at the development stage. And again, I really hope the direct communication with quantum entanglement will kick in at some stage of our life, and then we will be able to forget about unnecesary additional network.
But before this happens it is very important EU will not be yet again

 

[Hodor]

More clutter in space. I wonder how long it will take for satellites from various constellations to crash into each other?

That clutter is the Earth's defense against aliens.