A new network of European IRIS² telecommunication satellites will be active from 2024, following the green light by Parliament, according to a press release issued by the European Parliament.

A €2.4 billion budget will enable the EU to set up the new Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²); Europe’s first multi-orbital satellite constellation. The new satellites will provide a secure communications infrastructure for EU government bodies and agencies, emergency services and European delegations around the world.

The scheme will ensure the EU’s strategic autonomy in the field of secure government communications, in a context where cyber security threats are becoming increasingly important, especially following Russia’s war against Ukraine.

In negotiations with EU ministers, MEPs made sure to strengthen the system’s environmental provisions and sustainability, preventing space debris proliferation, light pollution, and providing carbon footprint compensation to offset the emissions from its operation.