EU initiates Starlink competitor, while China already takes off

The IRIS² satellite constellation is a done deal. The EU has signed a contract with the SpaceRISE Consortium worth 10.6 billion euros to launch 290 satellites into medium and low Earth orbit. According to Financial Times, Europe's "Starlink" should be up and orbiting by 2030.

More than just broadband internet

IRIS² is designed to provide secure connectivity services and broadband connections for government agencies, private companies and European citizens. According to Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice President for Technological Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, the Starlink concurrent is not just a technological achievement. IRIS² is also proof of Europe's ambition and unity:

"This state-of-the-art constellation will protect our critical infrastructures, connect our most remote areas and strengthen Europe's strategic autonomy. By partnering with the SpaceRISE Consortium, we are demonstrating the power of public-private collaboration to drive innovation and deliver tangible benefits to all Europeans."

Meanwhile in China: first satellites in orbit since Monday

Europe is not the only place where competition is emerging for Starlink, which already has around 7,000 satellites since 2018. In China, a Long March 5B launch vehicle lifted off from the Wenchang Cosmodrome on Hainan Island on Monday. It brought the first ten satellites of the planned Guowang mega constellation into the target orbit at an altitude of around 1100 kilometres.

The project is to be completed by 2032 by state-owned companies and comprise up to 13,000 satellites. Here, too, it is not just about bringing the internet to the furthest valley, but also about national security.