EU satellite project Iris2: Belgian start-up builds the majority of the satellites
The EU Commission is pushing forward its Iris2 project to become more independent of Starlink. The Belgian start-up Aerospacelab surprisingly receives a major order for up to 264 satellites worth at least 1.8 billion euros.
Quick Look
- The EU Commission is pushing ahead with its Iris2 satellite project, which is intended to make Europe independent of Elon Musk's Starlink.
- The young Belgian start-up Aerospacelab is surprisingly building up to 264 satellites worth at least 1.8 billion euros.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The EU has been working on the Iris2 satellite network as a European counterpart to Starlink for almost six years.
Dusseldorf. The EU Commission has been working on an ambitious project for almost six years: Iris2 is intended to make Europe independent of Starlink, the satellite network of SpaceX founded by Elon Musk, and to provide an internet from space that is also secure for the military or secret services.
After some delays, the plans are now entering a concrete phase, as the EU announced a few days ago. However, details about the project were hardly mentioned publicly. But they contain some surprises, as the Handelsblatt learned.
The Belgian start-up Aerospacelab will build up to 264 of the 348 satellites. For the company, which was only founded in 2018, it is a challenge to produce so many technically complex satellites for low Earth orbit (LEO) in a short time. The contract value: at least 1.8 billion euros.
Iris2 will be the first major space project in Europe to be entrusted to a start-up in a key area. The entire project costs 15.6 billion euros - almost half more than was estimated two years ago.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
Aerospacelab is building up to 264 satellites for Iris2
Very likely · Within months
Open Questions
- Which companies are building the remaining satellites?
- What is the exact launch schedule?
