Ukraine, Great Britain and Norway may join the European program of secure satellite communications IRIS², which is designed to become a continental alternative to the Starlink system from SpaceX. The potential expansion of the program was announced by European Commissioner for Defense and Space Andrius Kubilius, writes dev.ua.According to him, Norway is already negotiating with the European Commission about participation in the project. Ukraine and Great Britain have not yet started official consultations, but the Commission is open. Kubilius emphasized that Britain has strong space experience, and Ukraine has significant scientific and technical potential.
The IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite) program involves the creation of a secure network of communication satellites for Europe. The total cost of the initiative is estimated at €10.6 billion. By 2030, it is planned to deploy about 280 satellites that will provide communication, including in crisis situations.The discussion on IRIS² is taking place against the backdrop of the presentation of a new EU draft law on space, which was submitted on June 25. In the future, its provisions may limit the activities of private companies, in particular SpaceX, in providing satellite services within the European Union.As a reminder, Ukraine will become the first country in Europe to launch mobile services via the Starlink satellite network. The operator Kyivstar plans to start supporting messaging by the end of 2025, and full-fledged mobile Internet and voice communication via SpaceX satellites should be launched in the second quarter of 2026.
Source: https://fintechinsider.com.ua/ukrayina-mozhe-pryyednatysya-do-yevropejskoyi-suputnykovoyi-merezhi-iris-konkurenta-starlink/
