EU signs $11B deal for sovereign satellite constellation to rival Musk’s Starlink

The European Union is forging ahead with plans for a constellation of internet satellites to rival Elon Musk-owned Starlink, after signing a €10.6 billion ($11.1B) deal to launch nearly 300 satellites into low- and medium-Earth orbits by 2030. The bloc wants the space tech to boost its digital sovereignty by providing secure comms to governments.

First announced in 2022, Iris² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) is a public-private partnership whose initial cost estimate (€6 billion) leapt 76% through a fraught negotiation process. In the end, the program will be 61%-funded from the public purse; an industry consortium called SpaceRise, selected in October, is making up the difference. This grouping includes French satellite giant Eutelsat, which merged with European rival OneWeb back in 2022.

Musk’s Starlink, meanwhile, already has some 6,000 satellites in orbit, recently passed 4 million subscribers, and has major deals with the likes of Royal Caribbean and United Airlines. It’s also gearing up to launch a direct-to-phone service with T-Mobile.