In a move that solidifies Italy as a pivotal piece in Europe’s space ambitions, the country’s industry minister, Adolfo Urso, announced that the renowned Fucino Space Centre will serve as the main control centre for the European Union’s cutting-edge satellite constellation, IRIS2. This decision underscores Italy’s strategic position in the continent’s pursuit of technological sovereignty and interconnectivity.
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Italy Secures Strategic Role as Central Hub for European Union’s Ambitious IRIS2 Satellite
The Fucino Space Centre, located near the city of L’Aquila, is no stranger to the world of space exploration. Renowned as one of the largest and most significant civilian space centres globally, it already manages the European satellite positioning and navigation system Galileo, as well as the Control Centre and Mission Centre for the COSMO-SkyMed Earth observation satellite constellation. With this new responsibility, the centre will expand its capabilities to accommodate the control operations for IRIS2, a constellation poised to rival the likes of Elon Musk’s Starlink and Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper systems.
IRIS2, an array of 170 satellites, represents Europe’s answer to the growing demand for enhanced communications and broadband services. Scheduled for deployment between 2025 and 2027, this ambitious project aims to ensure secure communications for European governments while simultaneously providing commercial broadband services to underserved areas, bridging the digital divide that persists across the continent.
The Fucino Space Centre’s impressive 21,000 square-meter facility, capable of accommodating large satellites, will play a pivotal role in this endeavor. However, its primary focus will be the efficient production of smaller 200-kilogram satellites, with a target output of a couple of satellites per week, contingent upon the number of customers secured.
Telespazio, the company that owns and co-controls the Fucino Centre with Leonardo (67 percent) and France’s Thales (33 percent), underscored the national significance of IRIS2. Luigi Pasquali, Telespazio’s CEO, emphasized that the constellation is a “critical infrastructure for the country, as it enables a series of operations relevant to aspects of national security.”
Franco Ongaro, Chief Space Business Officer for the Italian aerospace and defense conglomerate Leonardo, described IRIS2 as Europe’s solution to “low-Earth-orbit constellations, which are becoming the future of telecoms.” He highlighted the constellation’s role in enhancing broadband coverage in rural areas, positioning Italy at the forefront of technological sovereignty in Europe.
Adolfo Urso, the industry minister, emphasized the profound impact of this 50 million Euro investment on local employment and technological advancement. He stated that the project will effectively double the current workforce at the Space Centre, creating at least 200 new jobs. Previous reports have indicated that Thales of France and Leonardo of Italy aim to establish a “Space Smart Factory” in Europe, capable of leading European constellation manufacturing and operational by mid-2025.
According to reports, the European Union is expected to assign the first contracts for the IRIS2 plan as early as this year, with a commitment to allocate 30 percent of the 2.4 billion Euro funding to up-and-coming firms. The industry minister mentioned that the European Commission will make a formal announcement of this deal in the coming days, including the details of two other centres to be located in Toulouse, France, and Luxembourg.
As Europe embarks on this ambitious journey to secure its place in the global space race, Italy’s role as the central hub for IRIS2 not only solidifies its technological prowess but also underscores the continent’s determination to achieve digital sovereignty and interconnectivity for generations to come.
