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IRIS2 CONTRACT SIGNING CEREMONY (ESA/EU/SpaceRISE), Dec 16, 2024, Brussels, Belgium, 5:00 am ET (11:00 CET)
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On December 16, 2024 at 11:00 Central European Time (5:00 am Eastern Standard Time) in Brussels, Belgium, contracts will be signed for a multi-orbit constellation of more than 280 satellites called “Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite” or IRIS2 or IRIS² (IRIS squared). The ceremony will be broadcast on ESA Web TV.
According to an emailed media announcement from ESA: “The first contract shall be signed by the European Commission and ESA. The second contract will be between ESA and an industrial consortium called SpaceRISE that is led by European satellite operators SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat, and includes satellite manufacturers Airbus and Thales Alenia Space, etc. “
An in-person media event that will not be webcast precedes this one.
More information about the part that will be webcast is in the emailed announcement, which says:
In cooperation with the EC, ESA would like to invite journalists to a series of events related to IRIS², the upcoming “Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite” taking place on Monday, 16 December 2024 in the European Commission premises, Berlaymont (Rue de la loi, 200, 1049 Bruxelles, BE).
The activities are lead by EC/DG DEFIS Communications, with key contributions from ESA and space industry.
– 11:00-12:00
Opening speeches and contract signing ceremony by EU Commissioner Andrius Kubilius, in the presence of ESA DG Josef Aschbacher, and senior representatives of the SpaceRISE Industry consortium, lead by SES.
Press Q&A session with Commissioner and ESA management on IRIS² at the Berlaymont Piazza (ground floor, in front of canteen).
The IRIS² Satellite Constellation is the European Union’s third flagship, addressing long-term challenges of EU’s security, safety and resilience by offering enhanced connectivity services to governmental users. ESA is the technical implementing agency for IRIS², in particular with the experts of the ESA Directorate of Connectivity and Secure Communications (CSC), lead by Laurent Jaffart