SES Locks in Launches for IRIS2 Satellites
SES has secured firm launch contracts for IRIS2 satellites set to enter service by 2030 while clearing US upper C-band spectrum.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Space
SES has secured firm launch contracts covering seven geostationary satellites, 28 medium Earth orbit satellites and 18 mid-Earth orbiting satellites for the European IRIS2 constellation. The company confirmed these commitments during its Q3 post-results conference call.
Why it matters
The launch contracts lock in the schedule for a major European satellite constellation, while SES's ongoing clearance of upper C-band spectrum over the US is on track under an FCC requirement. Together these moves shape how SES expands its satellite capacity and meets its obligations.
SES has contracted launches for seven geostationary satellites, 28 MEO satellites in four launches of seven each, and 18 mid-Earth orbiting satellites for IRIS2. The reimbursable cost of its C-band effort is $3.6 billion (€3.2bn), with up to $5.6 billion to be received after clearing is complete.
The players
SES
SES is a satellite operator that provides communications and video services from geostationary and medium Earth orbit.
Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
The FCC is the US federal agency that regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire and satellite.
The details
SES confirmed the launch commitments during its Q3 post-results call and will handle assembly, integration and testing at a satellite construction facility it is building. The company's revenue guidance for this year remains in place.
Timeline
The satellite facility is expected to become fully operational in 2028.
IRIS2 satellites are set to begin launch missions in 2029, with replacement satellites launching that year.
All IRIS2 launches are scheduled to finish and the satellites enter service in 2030, continuing into 2031.
The Tech Race
SES's clearance of 160 MHz of upper C-band spectrum over the US is an ongoing implementation of the FCC's mandated spectrum reallocation for 5G wireless services. The IRIS2 launch contracts extend that effort into a multi-orbit European constellation scheduled to enter service by 2030.
The IRIS2 constellation's entry into service in 2030 and 2031 will shape the satellite communications services available to users in Europe. Continued US satellite service for media clients after the upper C-band clearance affects how broadcast content is delivered.
The takeaway
Long-term satellite constellation projects depend on securing launch capacity years in advance, and SES's firm contracts through 2030 show how that planning is done. Readers following satellite communications can track the IRIS2 timeline through its scheduled 2029 and 2030 milestones.
What happens next
IRIS2 satellites begin launch missions in 2029, with all launches completed and service starting in 2030.
Further reading
For more on how satellite constellations are being built and launched, see the Space section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Advanced-television.
