From Dependence to Autonomy: Europe’s Journey to Space Sovereignty (Part 2)

This article is the second in a series of two dedicated to the Space and Satellites sector, in anticipation of the Sharing Ideas, which will be held on March 20^th at Abreu Advogados.

From Cooperation to Competition: IRIS² as a Pillar for European Independence

In the face of the current instability and growing geopolitical and cybersecurity threats, spatial connectivity has become indispensable – it is the most viable option in the absence or disruption of ground communication networks (for example, due to natural disasters, cyberattacks or acts of terrorism). Indeed, the transition to an increasingly digital economy makes the telecommunications sector more strategic than ever.

It is with this in mind that the EU, through the Secure Connectivity Programme of the EU for 2023-2027, aims to establish a sovereign European space system for secure connectivity and rapid data transmission, and it is as part of this Programme that IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) arises – a multiorbital satellites constellation of the EU whose main objective is to create a secure communication infrastructure for European government bodies and agencies, in order to strengthen Europe’s sovereignty and strategic autonomy towards non-EU countries.

The project consists of a public-private partnership between the European Commission and the private sector, which will comprise around 300 satellites, estimated to start launching in 2029, with the system expected to be operational by 2030. With a budget of around 11 billion euros, the IRIS² constellation will cover not only Europe, but the whole world, including dead zones in terms of connectivity, developing fast and secure communications in geographical regions of strategic interest, such as the Arctic and Africa.

One of the most important aspects of the project is that it is a multiorbital constellation, formed by Low Earth Orbit (LEO), Geostationary Orbit (GEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites, allowing for a greater degree of precision than any other existing constellation – which, in most cases, are single orbital constellations.

In April 2024, as a result of the contest launched by the European Commission in 2023, the regions of Toulouse (France), Fucino (Italy) and Bettembourg (Luxembourg) were selected to host the ground control centers for the IRIS² constellation. Fucino, specifically, is already home to one of Galileo‘s ground control centers.

The New “EEC” (European Exploration Constellations): Complementarity of the IRIS² regarding Galileo and Copernicus

The IRIS² constellation will complement two other important components of the EU’s space program: Galileo (the European satellite navigation system) and Copernicus (the Earth observation data capture system).

The main reason behind the creation of Galileo was so that Europe wouldn’t be dependent on satellite navigation systems controlled by non-EU countries, namely the American (GPS), Russian (GLONASS) and Chinese (BeiDou) systems. All these systems – unlike Galileo, which was designed from the outset for civilian use – have a more military focus.

The US was a major opponent of Galileo, trying to dissuade Europe from developing it, claiming that it could interfere with Pentagon and NATO military operations, and suggesting that Europe simply used the GPS system. The US’s main fear was that potential rivals could use Galileo’s encrypted signals. An agreement was reached in 2004 between the EU and the US to ensure that Galileo’s frequencies would not interfere with GPS.

When Galileo appeared, one of the main factors causing tension with the US was the fact that the European system allowed any user access to high-precision positioning, while the US system (GPS) was more restrictive and, until May 2000, even had the option of making the information provided significantly inaccurate, by means of a Selective Availability decision made by the US army. On top of that was the fact that, at the time, China was one of Galileo’s main investors (although it later opted to withdraw and develop its own system, due to concerns related to national security and the funding of the European project).

The abovementioned illustrates the strategic importance of space and the need for independence from third parties.

IRIS² and Portugal: Strategic Opportunities in the Spatial Sector

The European Commission identifies as the primary objective of IRIS² “providing Member States with guaranteed access to highly secure, sovereign and global connectivity services that meet their operational needs”, as well as high-speed broadband for private companies and European citizens, based on advanced encryption technologies. Given the strategic nature of space and its essentiality for the freedom of action and decision-making autonomy of government authorities, this constellation will contribute to strengthening the EU’s sovereignty and strategic independence.

The benefits associated with the development of IRIS² are not limited to strengthening European sovereignty, but also boost EU’s security and defense areas, particularly in the military sphere (space is seen as an essential factor for military missions and operations), crisis management (humanitarian aid), surveillance (of borders), support for external action and protection of critical infrastructures. A project of this scale will naturally also help to create jobs and increase the competitiveness of the European space industry.

The development of the project will involve companies of all sizes, even those not specialized in the sector: it will not only allow large companies in the space sector to participate, but also promotes the “participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)”, including those that, even if they are not directly dedicated to the activity or development of space technologies, can contribute with their knowledge within their area of expertise.

As stated in Regulation (EU) 2023/588 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15^th of March 2023, which establishes the aforementioned EU Secure Connectivity Programme for 2023-2027, “It is vital for the security of the Union and its Member States and to ensure the security and integrity of government services that the Programme’s space assets are launched from the territory of the Union”, and only “in exceptional and duly justified circumstances, such launches should be possible from the territory of a third country”.

As far as Europe is concerned, Portugal presents itself as a country with great potential for the development of the sector, not only because of its privileged geographical position, with a territory that is particularly favorable to the construction of satellite launch infrastructures, but also because it is inserted in a very favorable legal, institutional and technological context.

From a geostrategic point of view, the Azores benefit from a unique position, with a key location in the center of the Atlantic, which offers unique conditions for the creation of space projects. In fact, the Santa Maria teleport, developed in collaboration with ESA, covers an area of around 5.5 hectares and has a wide range of infrastructures. Stefano Bianchi, ESA’s Flight Director, says that “the Santa Maria hub for return and access to space will play a fundamental role” for Europe’s future in space. Mainland Portugal also has areas suitable for building space infrastructures, especially in the interior of the country, where extensive regions with little or no population and low vegetation density favor their implementation.

With regards to the legal framework, Portugal is also proving to be a particularly favorable “habitat” for the development of the space industry, internationally bound by various treaties, and domestically, reference should be made to Decree-Law no. 16/2019 of 22^nd January, which establishes the regime for access to and exercise of space activities, regulating the granting of licenses to space operators.

In a market whose global value exceeds 450 billion euros, Portugal presents unique opportunities for growth and innovation – In 2023 alone, the country’s public investment in the sector amounted to approximately 135 million euros. By combining its geostrategic potential with an environment conducive to international collaboration, this puts Portugal in a privileged position to attract strategic investment and establish itself as a center of excellence in the global space industry. Could IRIS² be the catalyst that will place Portugal at the epicenter of the European space sector?

References:

• Sapo, Nova constelação europeia de satélites IRIS começa a avançar (24/03/2023)
• Alice Tidey, Euronews, EU signs satellite constellation contracts in ‘paradigm shift’ for defence (16/12/2024)
• Jean-Pierre Diris, Techno-Science.net, IRIS²: The European satellite constellation is launched (25/01/2025)
• European Council and Council of the European Union: EU Space Program (europa.eu)
• EUSPA (European Union Agency for the Space Programme): IRIS² (europa.eu)
• European Commission: IRIS²: the new EU Secure Satellite Constellation (europa.eu)
• European Commission: Galileo | Satellite Navigation (europa.eu)
• European Commission: Copernicus | Earth Observation (europa.eu)