Categories: Connectivity, IoT, Dashveenjit is an experienced tech and business journalist with a determination to find and produce stories for online and print daily. She is also an experienced parliament reporter with occasional pursuits in the lifestyle and art industries. The race for satellite internet dominance has intensified. The European Commission has given the green light to a €10 billion contract for a sovereign satellite internet constellation, IRIS². The landmark decision, announced on October 31, positions IRIS² as a competitor to SpaceX’s Starlink and Amazon’s Project Kuiper. Under the 12-year concession contract, a newly formed European consortium, SpaceRISE, will develop and operate a network of more than 290 satellites across multiple orbits. The system aims to provide governmental and commercial connectivity services by 2030, marking the EU’s most ambitious space infrastructure project. Industry leaders join to form satellite internet constellation The SpaceRISE consortium represents an unprecedented collaboration in the European space sector. Three of the continent’s leading satellite operators—SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat—will lead the initiative, supported by a core team of industrial heavyweights. They include Thales Alenia Space, Airbus Defence and Space, and OHB on the manufacturing side, with Deutsche Telekom, Orange, Telespazio, and Thales SIX providing telecommunications expertise. The formation of such a comprehensive European alliance underscores the strategic importance of the IRIS² project, officially known as Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite. According to the Commission’s announcement, the consortium has built specific mechanisms to ensure competitive subcontracting, emphasising the inclusion of small and medium-sized enterprises in the supply chain. This focus on new entrants could reshape Europe’s space industry landscape, fostering a more diverse and dynamic sector, the Commission said. The IRIS² project represents more than a technical projoct; it’s a strategic move to ensure Europe’s digital sovereignty, signalling its commitment to maintaining technological independence and secure communications. Europe, after 9 months of negotiations (a record speed), please meet… IRIS²