Brussels hands over the IRIS² satellite system to the Hispasat consortium

The European Commission has awarded the SpaceRISE consortium, which includes Hispasat, a concession contract for the development, deployment and operation of the European Union’s IRIS² secure communications satellite system. The concession agreement is valid for 12 years and consists of A public-private partnership to acquire a system of more than 290 satellites in various orbits and associated ground segment to provide government services in 2030 and at the same time provide commercial services, the General Directorate of Defense and Space Industries said .

In addition to Hispasat, the SpaceRISE consortium includes two more European satellite network operators – SES and Eutelsat. The three are on a mission to make Satellite Resilience, Interconnection and Security (IRIS²) infrastructure a reality to rival Elon Musk’s Starlink or Amazon’s Kuiper.

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“This is an ambitious project in which the companies of the SpaceRISE consortium are working to offer the best response to the requirements of the European Union. This award represents an exciting first step in a project that will shape the future of satellite communications in Europe,” explained Hispasat CEO Miguel Angel Panduro.

The tender, launched on the last day of October, is now entering its final phase before the signing of the concession agreement, scheduled for December 2024, after which the legal and financial obligations of both parties will be assumed. The SpaceRISE consortium has a core team of European subcontractors from all segments of the satellite communications ecosystem to fulfill the scope of the concession contract: Thales Alenia Space, OHB, Airbus Defense and Space, Telespazio, Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Hisdesat and Thales. SIX.

Public and private foundations

The budget approved two years ago amounted to 2.4 billion euros.

According to the Defense and Space Industry Directorate General, the SpaceRISE proposal includes an adequate mechanism to ensure competitive outsourcing in supply chain selection, particularly for SMEs, and to stimulate innovation by encouraging the participation of new entrants. The concession contract will be financed by public funds from the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA), as well as private funds (the SpaceRISE consortium).

Regarding the European Union’s contribution, since the duration of the concession agreement covers several financial perspectives, the European Commission will first make budgetary commitments for the current multiannual financial framework. The budget approved two years ago by the European institutions was 2.4 billion euros.

Additional amounts may be made available after December 31, 2027, provided that the European Parliament and Council adopt a successor program and corresponding allocations are available, the Directorate-General for Defense and Space Industries said on its website.