Eutelsat is responsible for the constellation’s low Earth orbit segment within the SpaceRISE consortium. The agreement allows Airbus and Thales Alenia Space to begin work on its first satellite layer.
Airbus will manufacture the satellite platforms and integrate payloads supplied by Thales Alenia Space. The company plans to use its serial-production facility in Toulouse and expand industrial capacity to meet the programme’s timetable and performance requirements.
The initial layer will serve as the sovereign pillar of IRIS² and deliver military Ka-band connectivity to European users. It will draw on Airbus’s previous investment and production experience in large low Earth orbit constellations.
IRIS², or Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite, is the European Union’s flagship secure-connectivity programme. Its multi-orbit constellation is intended to provide resilient services to governments, support commercial users and extend European connectivity infrastructure to international partners.
Airbus’s Toulouse site is already building a new batch of OneWeb satellites for Eutelsat after the production facility was transferred back to Europe. The same industrial base will support the planned manufacturing and integration of the first IRIS² layer.
“It is a privilege to contribute to this strategic programme, which will strengthen Europe’s digital sovereignty and strategic autonomy,” said Alain Fauré, Head of Space Systems at Airbus Defence and Space. “Leveraging our proven, industry-leading experience in the production of large-scale LEO constellations, we are fully committed to delivering this critical first layer.”
The contract was signed in connection with the International Space Summit held in Paris on 9 and 10 September. Airbus did not disclose the value of the agreement.
