Luxembourg at the heart of the European project IRIS².

Luxembourg has proposed the LuxConnect site in Bettembourg to host one of the main IRIS² project management centers. Additionally, a two-hectare plot of land will be allocated for the installation of antennas. This strategic decision places Luxembourg on equal footing with centers such as Fucino in Italy and Toulouse in France.

The country's role is reinforced by the participation of SES, which leads the SpaceRISE consortium. SES will ensure the design, implementation, and management of the IRIS² system, which will serve as the foundation for highly secure satellite communications meeting Europe’s requirements for sovereignty and digital security.

IRIS² is an ambitious EU initiative aimed at providing reliable and innovative satellite communications. It addresses three major challenges:

• Ensuring Europe's digital sovereignty;
• Building sustainable infrastructures;
• Providing global coverage for the needs of governments, businesses, and institutions.

The system will include elements of quantum communication as part of the EuroQCI program, further strengthening Luxembourg's leadership in the high-tech sector.

Luxembourg's Minister of Economy, Lex Delles, stated that participation in the IRIS² project confirms Luxembourg's strategic importance in cutting-edge innovation: "This initiative reinforces our role in creating a more sustainable and digitized Europe."

For his part, Prime Minister Luc Frieden emphasized that IRIS² is a crucial step in achieving European strategic ambitions: "We are proud that Luxembourg supports such an ambitious project."

The establishment of the IRIS² control center will strengthen the country's position as a hub for space technology and create high-value-added jobs. LuxConnect, a company wholly owned by the state, will ensure the maintenance and management of the infrastructure, highlighting the importance of national resources in the implementation of European projects.

More on: Le Luxembourg au cœur du projet européen IRIS² - Le gouvernement luxembourgeois