BREMEN, Germany — German satellite manufacturer OHB SE has signed a contract worth nearly €1 billion with European satellite operator SES to develop and build 18 medium Earth orbit (MEO) satellite platforms for the European Union’s IRIS² secure connectivity programme.
The contract is the first major industrial order under the IRIS² concession and follows the formal launch of the programme’s implementation phase on August 6, 2026.
OHB to Build 18 MEO Satellite Platforms
SES is responsible for delivering the MEO segment of IRIS² through the SpaceRISE consortium, which was selected by the European Commission to develop and deploy the system. SpaceRISE includes SES, Eutelsat and Hispasat.
OHB has been part of the SpaceRISE industrial core team since the beginning of the programme. Under the new contract, the company will develop and manufacture the 18 satellite platforms that will form a central part of the MEO segment.
Each platform is planned to have a maximum power output of about 15 kilowatts and a launch mass of approximately 2.6 tonnes, according to OHB.
IRIS² to Use 348 Satellites
The expanded IRIS² constellation will consist of 348 satellites, including 330 satellites in low Earth orbit (LEO) and 18 satellites in MEO. The programme will also include a dedicated secure ground segment.
The European Commission says the multi-orbit architecture is intended to provide global coverage while requiring fewer satellites than a system based entirely on LEO. The architecture is also designed to maintain short signal transmission times.
The EU expanded the planned constellation by adding 66 LEO satellites during the negotiations that led to the implementation agreement in August. The programme has now moved from the planning stage into full-scale deployment.
Secure Communications for Europe
IRIS² — the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite — is intended to provide secure and high-performance satellite communications for public authorities and private users.
The European Commission also says the system will support critical infrastructure, crisis-response capabilities and connectivity in rural and remote areas. The programme is being implemented as a public-private partnership led by the European Commission, with technical support from the European Space Agency and the European Union Agency for the Space Programme.
IRIS² is described by OHB as Europe’s third major flagship space programme alongside Galileo and Copernicus.
The expanded programme is intended to strengthen secure communications capabilities for European governments, defence and security services, and emergency services.
First Launches Planned for 2029
The implementation agreement signed in August established the next steps for the programme, including detailed satellite development, construction of the secure ground infrastructure and procurement of launch services.
The first IRIS² satellite launches are planned for 2029, while initial services are expected to become available from 2030.
OHB CEO Marco Fuchs said the programme would further expand the company's role in Europe’s strategic space infrastructure and highlighted its previous involvement in Galileo and Copernicus.
SES Chief Product and Innovation Officer Xavier Bertran said the contract with OHB represents an important step toward delivering Europe’s next generation of secure and resilient communications infrastructure.
OHB System Executive Board member Gianaldo Mantovani said Europe needs independent communications capabilities and that OHB is contributing its experience in satellite-platform development and MEO constellations.
The contract places OHB in a key industrial role for the 18-satellite MEO segment, while SES remains responsible for its delivery within the wider SpaceRISE consortium.
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