Below is a transcript of an interview of ESPI Director H. Ludwig Moeller in Der Spiegel by Marco Evers on Europe’s IRIS² programme. The interview (published on 19 December 2024) is re-published here with the permission of Der Spiegel, translated from German to English.
SPIEGEL: Mr. Möller, the EU seeks to pursue a new major project in space. A satellite fleet of its own, called IRIS², is supposed to compete with the Starlink constellation of Elon Musk to ensure internet connectivity at every point on Earth. How important is this step?
H. Ludwig Möller: It’s of existential importance. We are supplying Europe with secure and independent, autonomous communication. We saw how important Starlink and Musk have been in the war in Ukraine. This communication is crucial for governments, authorities and the military, but also for security in general, civil defense, disaster relief, and the protection of our critical infrastructure. Whether it’s underwater cables, energy or transport networks, the IRIS² satellite constellation…
SPIEGEL:…which is pronounced “Iris squared”…
H. Ludwig Möller:…brings us an important step forward here, but that’s not all. The project has a much broader impact. It allows Europe to enter the internet age of space and, above all, its commercial use. In this future market, European industry will offer its own commercial services thanks to IRIS², for example for autonomous driving. Billions will be invested in space, which in turn will generate billions in profits for services in other sectors of the economy.
SPIEGEL: Really? IRIS² is comparatively puny. The system is supposed to consist of 290 satellites in several orbits. Musk’s Starlink already has 7,000 satellites in space, with more than 5,000 to follow.
H. Ludwig Möller: We should avoid direct comparisons, because they are indeed sobering at present. Nor should we compare ‘Ariane 6’ with Musk’s Starship, which he wants to use to fly to Mars. In Europe, we always have a major challenge when it comes to money, especially in space. The US is investing about five times as much public money in space; in Europe, we clearly underinvested in such future markets. The upcoming change of government to Donald Trump is a clear call to rethink the question: what should be Europe’s future place in space?
SPIEGEL: Isn’t IRIS² a nonstarter in this arms race before it even starts?
H. Ludwig Möller: Is what is planned today ambitious enough? Is it being implemented fast enough? IRIS² is supposed to be in orbit from 2029. In the space industry, five years is an eternity. These are all valid questions, but it’s also true that we’re heading in the right direction! It’s a good idea to forge a partnership between the public and private sectors. IRIS² represents a new beginning. This is a European infrastructure in space in which we share risks and drive innovation. It will be further expanded over time. With private investment, it will take on tasks that go far beyond what has been planned for public use so far.
SPIEGEL: Does Musk have to fear losing market share to this new EU infrastructure?
H. Ludwig Möller: Does Musk fear the “Ariane 6”? Does he fear future rocket launches in Europe? No. But he will at least have to ask himself whether his market access in Europe could be affected at the moment when Europe has its own capabilities to offer such services from space itself.
SPIEGEL: How will individual citizens benefit from IRIS²?
H. Ludwig Möller: A great deal. It would be a mistake if this system were to be reduced to the development of services for the public sector. The majority of the capacity should be expanded and used commercially, whether it’s for internet services, data links from aircraft or connecting your car or telephone. IRIS² will be a catalyst, a stimulator for much more.
SPIEGEL: In recent months, there has been a lot of criticism that IRIS² will primarily serve French industryand that German companies will play only a minor role. Is there any truth to this?
H. Ludwig Möller: France is currently investing about twice as much in space as Germany. Naturally, this is reflected in the way space programs are created and dimensioned. If Germany really wants to be an equal and leading partner in Europe and also establish its own “NewSpace” players, i.e. creative space start-ups, then Germany will have to invest significantly more.
SPIEGEL: Will IRIS² be a program that further isolates the EU from the rest of the world?
H. Ludwig Möller: I hope the opposite is true. There are indications that Norway would like to use the system. So we can use it to build bridges beyond the EU. South Korea and Japan have also shown initial interest. This is extremely relevant from a geopolitical point of view. You can use a system like this to put space at the service of diplomacy and deepen cooperation with other countries. This would prevent us from getting stuck in the future in a bipolarity between the US and China. Space thus offers an opportunity for Europe to open up to the world.
The original interview is available in German here.
