On 7 August 2026, the European Commission and the SpaceRISE consortium signed an implementation agreement to advance the IRIS² satellite constellation, expanding the main network to 348 satellites. The agreement adds 66 satellites to low‑Earth orbit, bringing the total to 330 LEO and 18 MEO satellites and moving the programme from planning to full‑scale deployment with European Space Agency support. European Commissioner for Defence Industry and Space, Andrius Kubilius, said the acceleration will increase secure governmental capacity by more than 60 % within the Union and by 54 % globally. ESA will oversee technical development, qualification and in‑orbit validation, working with the Commission and SpaceRISE to deliver secure, resilient connectivity for EU governments, defence and emergency services. The additional 66 high‑low Earth orbit satellites will reinforce the constellation’s capacity for defence, security and emergency missions. European manufacturers including Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, OHB and Aerospacelab, together with the SpaceRISE consortium, have committed to provide the required space and ground infrastructure under a public‑private partnership. The expanded deployment requires additional investment funded by the EU budget for 2028‑2034 and national contributions such as €656 million from Poland, €500 million from Hungary and €1.6‑2 billion from Spain. The Commission will inform the European Parliament and Member States of the agreement, and the SpaceRISE consortium will accelerate satellite manufacturing, launch service procurement and secure ground‑infrastructure development, aiming for first launches by 2029 and operational services thereafter. IRIS² is a 12‑year concession contract signed in December 2024 that establishes a sovereign, secure connectivity system for European governments and emergency services, building on design work and negotiations concluded in January 2026.