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Sateliot selected by ESA to contribute to the Low-LEO layer of Europe's IRIS² sovereign connectivity programme

17 September 2026.

Sateliot has been selected by the European Space Agency (ESA) to take part in the Consolidation Phase of the ESA’s IRIS² Low-LEO Pre-operational and De-risk Activities, contributing under a project named RESCUE-NET (Resilient European Sovereign Communications Unified Ecosystem – NTN). 

Within the activity, Sateliot will study future-oriented Direct-to-Device (D2D) and secure IoT connectivity use cases. The company will define the way how non-terrestrial network (NTN) capabilities, built on the 3GPP standard for satellite and terrestrial convergence, can extend resilient, sovereign communications to European governmental users. The scenarios range from continuity of service to emergency and remote connectivity where terrestrial networks fall short. 

"Being selected by ESA for contributing to the Low-LEO layer of IRIS² with our project RESCUE-NET helps consolidating the architecture and future network concepts required for European sovereignty. Our job is to detail how standard 5G connectivity from space can give governments a resilient, independent link when it matters most, providing continuity of service in emergencies in places where terrestrial networks are unavailable,” said Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot.

“Secure and resilient connectivity is fundamental to Europe’s resilience and strategic autonomy. ESA – hand-in-hand with the European Commission and industry – is therefore looking ahead, exploring the capabilities and technologies that can help Europe meet its future connectivity needs. The work we are launching today is an important part of that effort and will help shape the continued evolution of IRIS²,” said Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA’s Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity.

Europe's path to sovereign connectivity

IRIS², the EU's third flagship space programme after Galileo and Copernicus, is being built in stages. Sateliot's contract in that track is RESCUE-NET. It runs as Sateliot prepares to launch its next-generation Tritó satellites in 2027. "The bigger picture is sovereignty. A Europe that controls its own connectivity, from the standard it runs on to where its data is kept, is a stronger Europe. That is the future we want Sateliot to help build, and RESCUE-NET is a real step toward it," added Jaume Sanpera, CEO of Sateliot.