What Happened
European Union Expands Space-Based Connectivity
The European Union has announced a rollout plan for its flagship satellite constellation, IRIS2, with an overall investment expected to exceed $18 billion. The plan includes the addition of 66 low Earth orbit satellites, with first launches scheduled for 2029. HispaSat, part of Spain’s Indra Group, has been selected as the prime contractor for ground-based communications and networking. The project aims to strengthen capabilities for defense, security, and emergency services, and increase secure governmental capacity by 60 percent within the EU and 54 percent globally, as reported by Breaking Defense.