Luxembourgish data center operator LuxConnect is to host one of the control centers for the European Union’s upcoming IRIS² satellite constellation.

The company this week said it will host the control center at its Bettembourg facility. The announcement suggests the control center will be located in the second phase of the company’s DC1.3 facility.

Luxconnect Bettembourg Luxembourg
LuxConnect's Bettembourg site – Google Maps

IRIS² (Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity, and Security by Satellite), led by the European Union in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA), seeks to develop a 290-machine strong sovereign European Internet satellite fleet.

The constellation will be multi-orbit, spanning both Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). The fleet is being developed by the SpaceRise consortium, comprising SES, Eutelsat, and Hispasat. It is set to launch around 2029.

In total, the budget for IRIS² is €10.6bn ($11.1bn), with €6.5bn ($6.82bn) coming from public funding, which includes €550 million ($525m) from ESA’s Partnership Projects program. The rest of the funding, slightly more than €4bn ($4.2bn), will be funded by the SpaceRise consortium.

LuxConnect said the Luxembourg government has expressed its support for the IRIS² project, with co-financing from both the European Commission and the national government. The initiative also includes the provision of a two-hectare site for the necessary antenna infrastructure.

Advanced Television reports the contract award totals around €154 million. Telespazio’s Fucino space center in Italy and a site in Toulouse, France, are also set to host control centers for IRIS².

Paul Konsbruck, LuxConnect CEO, said: “We are incredibly proud to have been selected for this pivotal project. LuxConnect’s recognized expertise in managing high-security and high-connectivity infrastructures played a crucial role in our selection. Our team is committed to contributing our skills and experience to support Europe’s ambition for a resilient and secure digital future.”

LuxConnect, a data center operator owned by the Luxembourg state, operates data center campuses in Bissen and Bettembourg in Luxembourg.

DC1.3, located at 202, Z.A.E. Wolser F, features two 10MW feeds across a 23,500 sqm building. The first phase went live in 2015. DC1.1 at the same site launched in 2009.

In other recent space news:

- Rivada Space Networks has signed an MoU to provide satellite connectivity to Vodafone Cook Islands.

- Satellite maker Loft Orbital has raised $170 million in Series C funding to expand its manufacturing facilities.

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