SES Advances Next-generation MEO Strategy Following Successful Completion of IRIS² Rendez-vous 1
IRIS² expands SES's differentiated MEO architecture while supporting Europe's secure, sovereign multi-orbit connectivity ambitions
SES today announced the successful completion of Rendez-vous 1 (RDV1) under the Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite (IRIS²) programme, marking a key milestone in the programme's implementation phase and reinforcing Europe's path towards sovereign, resilient and secure satellite connectivity.
The successful completion of RDV1 confirms the programme's readiness to move forward with implementation and provides greater visibility on the long-term scope, performance and economics of the MEO segment. SES's expected capital commitment for the MEO segment is up to €1.35 billion, reflecting current programme scope, while maintaining the deployment of 18 MEO satellites and the targeted service entry in 2030. SES’s share of the investment in the IRIS² programme for 2026 is included in SES’s FY26 Capex outlook as previously communicated. No future exceptional cash proceeds will be used to fund the project.
Since the signing of the IRIS² Concession Contract in December 2024, the European Commission, the SES-led SpaceRISE consortium and the European Space Agency have worked together to validate programme costs, technical requirements, delivery timelines and industrial arrangements. RDV1 establishes a validated baseline for implementation, providing greater certainty on programme scope and execution while strengthening the long-term value of IRIS² for customers and SES through lower capital requirements, enhanced satellite capabilities and an expanded role in programme delivery.
