EU's GOVSATCOM live with 8 pooled satellites - IRIS² now delayed to 2029
The European Union's GOVSATCOM program began operations January 14, pooling capacity from eight existing geosynchronous satellites operated by France, Spain, Italy, Greece, and Luxembourg. EU Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius confirmed the launch at the European Space Conference on January 27.
The service provides encrypted government and military communications through two EU-operated ground hubs, managed by a Spain-based GMV-led consortium under a €107 million contract awarded last September. Coverage currently spans from southern Greenland to South America westward, and to India eastward.
The sovereignty play
GOVSATCOM addresses a specific gap: EU governments previously relied on US satellite communications for secure capabilities. By pooling existing national assets rather than launching new satellites, the EU created operational sovereignty faster than building from scratch.
The trade-off is capacity. Current operations use already-deployed satellites, creating potential bandwidth constraints during simultaneous multi-state emergencies. The program's "marketplace" model—where member states request services through a secure platform—remains untested under crisis conditions.
Bridge to IRIS²
GOVSATCOM is explicitly interim. The permanent solution is IRIS², a 290-satellite constellation combining multiple orbital planes. Originally targeting 2030, IRIS² is now scheduled for 2029 operations—which would still make it one of the EU's most ambitious space programs.
Kubilius said Ka-band military frequencies for IRIS² were activated last week, though no satellites have launched yet. The 2029 timeline assumes no further delays in a program that's already running approximately one year behind earlier projections.
Expanded GOVSATCOM coverage and bandwidth are planned for 2027, incorporating additional commercial capacity. All EU member states can now access the service, and the EU proposed Ukraine's participation in October 2025, though formal arrangements remain unclear.
What this means in practice
The program demonstrates the EU can coordinate multi-state space assets operationally. Whether it provides sufficient capacity for real-world demand is the next question. The 2027 expansion and eventual IRIS² integration are critical—GOVSATCOM's current form is explicitly not the end state.
History suggests European space programs face execution challenges. IRIS² involves 290 satellites across multiple orbits, significantly more complex than pooling existing GEO capacity. The constellation's shift from 2030 to 2029 signals urgency, but delivery timelines in European space infrastructure have historically proven optimistic.
Notably, the program's emphasis on "European control" and sovereignty coincides with broader EU-US defence discussions. Whether this represents genuine strategic autonomy or complements rather than replaces allied systems will become clearer as usage patterns emerge.