The EU's flagship satellite constellation project officially took off Monday, as the bloc signed a concession contract with a European consortium to develop a secure space-based communication system. Due to be fully operational by 2030, it will rival major American networks.
Envisaging a multi-orbital network of almost 300 satellites, Iris² aims to rival US satellite internet service providers such as Elon Musk's Starlink and Amazon's Project Kuiper.
