Goodbye Washington: The transatlantic gap between the US and Europe is starting to look less like a gulf and more like an ocean, as both sides double down on self-reliance and increasingly divergent priorities. In space, that shift is taking tangible form: the European Union's new satellite network for secure internet communications has begun moving from blueprint to reality, with its first components now operational.
The IRIS2 constellation of orbiting satellites started coming online just a few days ago. EU officials have announced that member states can now begin accessing the network, which is positioned as Europe's answer to SpaceX's Starlink when it comes to reliable satellite internet connectivity.
Andrius Kubilius, the EU's Commissioner for Defence and Space, said that both the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks have entered limited operations for government and military use. Ukraine has already requested access to the infrastructure, and Kubilius confirmed that a communications link is expected to be established soon.
Short for Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), the initiative is a €10 billion project intended to deliver Europe's own version of Starlink by the end of the decade. The planned multi-orbital constellation is expected to include around 290 satellites, blending the advantages of Medium Earth Orbit and Low Earth Orbit systems. Once fully deployed, IRIS² is designed to provide secure connectivity across the European Union, serving government authorities, private companies, and EU citizens alike.
Alongside IRIS², the EU's Governmental Satellite Communications program – GOVSATCOM – is focused on delivering encrypted and secure communications capabilities specifically for government and military authorities. Security and regional sovereignty have become increasingly central priorities for satellite internet projects, particularly after Elon Musk's SpaceX was recently accused of abusing restricted frequencies to support a classified US military operation.
Kubilius emphasized the political dimension of the effort, remarking that "all member states can now have access to sovereign satellite communication. Military and government. Secure and encrypted. Built in Europe – operated in Europe, under European control."
EU leaders are aiming to build a network that they claim will be better than Starlink, though the two projects operate on very different scales in terms of coverage and availability. SpaceX, for its part, is reportedly planning a global constellation of roughly 15,000 satellites by the end of 2031.
Kubilius noted that the geopolitical landscape is evolving rapidly, and that the IRIS2 consortium is now under pressure to accelerate its delivery timeline. The constellation is expected to take on growing strategic significance, becoming part of a broader European push to reduce dependence on US-made space-based communications technologies. China is also said to be developing its own "megaconstellation," while Russia, meanwhile, is largely focused on trying to shoot satellites out of orbit.