PARIS, FRANCE: A group of European space and telecommunications players have joined forces to create a partnership aimed at responding to the European Commission’s call for tender regarding the future European satellite constellation, IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite).

The initiative aims to provide a new, secure, and resilient connectivity infrastructure to European governments, businesses, and citizens.

The open consortium will be governed by Airbus Defence and Space, Eutelsat, Hispasat, SES, and Thales Alenia Space. Additionally, the consortium will rely on the core team of the following companies: Deutsche Telekom, OHB, Orange, Hisdesat, Telespazio, and Thales.

Together, these companies will aim to create a state-of-the-art satellite constellation based on a multi-orbit architecture that would be interoperable with the terrestrial ecosystem.

This partnership will establish an integrated best-in-class European space and telecoms team across these companies to leverage their expertise and capabilities in the field of secure satellite communications solutions.

The consortium will also encourage start-ups, mid-caps, and SMEs to join the partnership, resulting in a more innovative and competitive European space sector where new business models will emerge.

The integrated team aims to foster collaboration among all European space players across the whole connectivity value chain with a view to enabling the EU’s strategic autonomy through the delivery of sovereign, secure, and resilient government services to protect European citizens.

The team will leverage synergies between government and commercial infrastructures. The teaming partners are also well-positioned to provide commercial services to bridge the digital divide across European territories and to increase Europe’s global outreach and competitiveness as a space and digital power on the global market.

IRIS² will deliver resilient and secure connectivity solutions to governments to protect European citizens and will provide commercial services in the interest of European economies and societies.

It will also bolster the EU partnership policy by offering its infrastructure abroad. IRIS² is the EU’s new flagship space program for a digital, resilient, and safer Europe.

The IRIS² initiative is particularly timely as the world becomes increasingly interconnected and digitized. It is essential that governments and businesses have access to reliable and secure communication infrastructure, particularly in light of recent cybersecurity threats.

By bringing together the best minds and capabilities in the European space sector, this partnership is well-positioned to create a state-of-the-art connectivity infrastructure that will benefit the continent’s citizens, governments, and businesses. It will also provide an example of how collaboration across different companies, industries, and countries can drive innovation and progress.

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