The European telecommunications constellation Iris2 is about to take off. After months of turbulence, the project landed on the desk of the European Commission on September 2. “The copy is good,” says Christophe Grudler, Renew MEP and rapporteur of the project. In a few days, the file should be closed. A crucial step for this program valued at 10.6 billion euros, including 2.6 billion in purely European public funds.
But, before reaching this promising orbit, Iris2 had to cross a real asteroid belt. For eight months, the project got stuck in a political-industrial minefield. First, Airbus and Thales jockeyed for more financial guarantees, considering that the project was too financially risky.
And what about the intervention of Robert Habeck, the German vice-chancellor and Minister of the Economy, who tried to blow up the call for tenders in mid-air? In March, the environmental vice-chancellor considered that it was urgent to wait, considering, in fact, that the project was “ill-conceived” and too favorable to France. Eventually, his alarms will be ignored, but what a waste of time!
Airbus and Thales refuse to take risks
Faced with this big bang, the architects of Iris2 had to review their flight plan. The telecom operators who will offer services have been put in charge and have agreed to take the financial risks. The manufacturers Airbus and Thales are thus in second place, certainly less exposed, but also further away from discussions with the Commission.
This inversion – a first in space history – made it possible to get the project out of its black hole. It should be remembered that Iris2 includes a purely governmental part for securing state communications. The other component will offer commercial services.
With its 300 satellites in low, medium and high orbit (the three levels working together), Iris2 promises to be the flagship of space Europe. “It’s an incredible opportunity for the sector,” enthuses Christophe Grudler, comparing the project to Airbus. It is vital for our development. “We cannot depend on the whims of a more or less conservative, more or less versatile American businessman,” underlines the MEP in a barely veiled allusion to Elon Musk and his Starlink armada.
A European space law in the pipeline for 2025
If the mission goes as planned, contracts should be signed in early 2025, for launch the same year. Until then, the European Union Space Program Agency (Euspa) will orchestrate the pooling of existing satellite capacities of member countries, as a warm-up before the big space leap.
But Iris2’s adventure does not end there. Behind the scenes, another stage of the space program is being prepared for the launch pad: the European space law. Christophe Grudler sees this as the first stone of true space regulation. “It’s essential. This will set the rules of the game for all operators who want to work in Europe. » European law will contain standards for resilience, space debris management and environmental protection. This law is presented as essential to avoid uncontrolled overpopulation of space and to guarantee that even large foreign companies like Starlink will respect European rules.
There too, there was a delay. Initially planned for April 2024, the project, led by commissioner Thierry Breton, was kept on the shelf. It now appears in the mission letter of the new European Commissioner for Space (and Defense), the Lithuanian Andrius Kubilius. The von der Leyen II Commission is expected to present this legislative initiative in spring 2025. A small step for the bureaucracy, a big step for space Europe, as the other would say. Unless it’s the other way around.
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