The European IRIS2 constellation ceases to be a project and becomes a reality. The EU alternative to Elon Musk’s Starlink satellites has started transmittingalthough for now only for the governments and defense ministries of the European Union. But later it will be available to companies and citizens.
Donald Trump’s emergence into power has shown that Faithful allies can become aggressive rivals you can’t trust.while billionaire oligarchs like Elon Musk offer their satellites while insulting and disdaining governments and institutions of the European Union.
Europe has taken off the blindfoldand has realized that it is necessary to become independent from the United States, at least when it comes to critical security issues such as communications and the handling of data of European citizens.
IRIS2, the European alternative to Starlink
With a budget of 10,000 million euros, the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²), is a European Union project that aims to offer an alternative to Starlink before 2030.
It is about a constellation of 290 satellites that will move in medium Earth orbit and low Earth orbit. Once fully deployed, IRIS² is designed to provide secure connectivity across the European Union.
Maybe 290 satellites may seem like a few to you, compared to the 10,000 satellites that Elon Musk has already launched. Firstly, fewer are needed because IRIS2 only covers Europe, not the entire world. Besides It is a different technology, with larger satellites, and greater coverage and bandwidth. Andrius Kubilius, European Commissioner for Defense and Space, has said that when completed in 2030, it will be better than Starlink.
Europe has experience with satellites, and its technology is cutting-edge. A good example is the Galileo satellites, the alternative to GPS that is safer and more accurate. If you have not changed the GPS on your phone to Galileo, you should do so.
As revealed Bloomberg, The first IRIS2 satellites are already operational, and have begun transmitting. Andrius Kubilius has confirmed that both the IRIS2 and GOVSATCOM networks have become operational on a limited basis for government and military use. Ukraine has already requested access to infrastructureand the EU hopes to soon establish a communications link to help the Ukrainians.
«All Member States can now have access to sovereign satellite communications. Military and government. Secure and encrypted. Built in Europe, operated in Europe, under European control,» said the European Commissioner for Defense and Space.