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Ever since SpaceX deployed the first internet satellites in low-Earth orbit in 2019, a number of other companies and organizations have been looking at how they might be able to beam broadband from space, rather than let the Elon Musk-led company dominate the satellite internet market. In Europe, a potential rival comes in the form of IRIS², an EU-backed satellite network. While it's designed primarily for secure government and defense communications, as well as maintaining communications in emergencies, it will also be used to extend connectivity to areas that are poorly served by broadband internet, just as Starlink does. The project is aiming to launch the first IRIS² satellites in 2029, with services rolling out gradually after that.

Unlike Starlink, which has managed to build a large customer base by selling broadband directly to consumers, IRIS² is mainly intended to provide European governments with secure communications under their own control.…