European satellite communications operator SES has signed a contract worth nearly 1 billion euros with OHB to build satellite platforms for the IRIS² system.
Under the contract, aerospace manufacturer OHB will develop and manufacture 18 satellite platforms designed for placement in medium Earth orbit. European publication European Spaceflight reported that each satellite is expected to have a mass of approximately 2.6 tonnes.
The Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite system, known as IRIS², is regarded as Europe's analogue to the Starlink broadband network. European Spaceflight reported the agreement between satellite communications operator SES and satellite manufacturer OHB.
IRIS² is a multi-orbital satellite constellation initiative launched by the European Union to provide secure communications for government infrastructure and commercial broadband access across member states. Medium Earth orbit sits between low Earth orbit and geostationary orbit, offering a balance of low latency and wide geographical coverage. While Starlink operates thousands of small satellites in low Earth orbit under American aerospace company SpaceX, the European IRIS² project incorporates spacecraft in medium Earth orbit to ensure network resilience and European digital sovereignty.
Demands for Faster Constellation Deployment
European defense officials have previously highlighted the need to accelerate the deployment of the satellite network. Defense News reported in April 2025 that French Armed Forces Minister Sébastien Lecornu stated the creation of the IRIS² satellite constellation needed to be accelerated.
Sébastien Lecornu oversees military planning and defense policy for France, where government leadership has championed strategic autonomy in European space communications. European defense ministries consider secure satellite constellations vital for military command networks, disaster response, and protection against foreign cyber threats.
Launch Vehicle Constraints
The timeline for putting the 18 spacecraft into orbit remains unannounced, as launch dates for the satellites were not disclosed in the agreement.
Deployment schedules for European satellite systems depend heavily on regional rocket availability. SpaceNews reported in June 2025 that increasing the launch frequency of the Ariane 6 rocket would require several years.
Ariane 6 is Europe's primary heavy-lift launch vehicle, developed by ArianeGroup for the European Space Agency to guarantee independent access to space. Spaceport operations take place at the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana. Ramping up production and launch operations for the rocket involves extensive supply chain adjustments across European aerospace companies, affecting the deployment timeline for heavy medium Earth orbit satellites.
