On Tuesday 29 November, MEPs in the Committee on Industry, Research and Energy (ITRE) approved by an overwhelming majority (52 votes in favour, 3 abstentions) the interinstitutional agreement that was reached earlier this month on the regulation establishing the IRIS² constellation for secure connectivity.
“Our trilogue agreement on the European IRIS² satellites has just been validated in the committee! We’ll see you in plenary for the final vote on this major European satellite programme”, said French rapporteur Christophe Grudler (Renew Europe). According to one source, the vote in plenary session is envisaged to take place in February 2023. However, everything will depend on the speed at which the legal linguists revise the text and how fast it is translated, she added.
This private, multi-orbital public constellation, which should eventually number several hundred satellites in total, is intended to provide encrypted governmental and commercial telecommunications. The first launches are scheduled to take place by the end of 2024 and the constellation should be fully operational by 2027. The development and deployment of the programme includes, for the first time, a strong environmental component as requested by the European Parliament (see EUROPE 13065/1). (Original version in French by Pascal Hansens)