Italy’s industry minister announced on Monday that the primary control center for the IRIS² EU satellite constellation will be located in a space center in the country’s center.
Adolfo Urso informed reporters at a presentation that control operations for IRIS2 will be expanded to the Fucino Space Centre, one of the biggest teleport locations in the world for civilian usage.
Galileo, the European satellite location and navigation system, is currently run by the center.
IRIS² is designed to compete with Elon Musk‘s Starlink and Jeff Bezos’ Kuiper.
It is an array of up to 170 satellites which will secure communications for European Union governments and open new commercial broadband services to under-served areas between 2025 and 2027.
The deal will be formally announced by the European Commission in coming days, Urso said, adding two other centres will be located in Toulouse, France, and in Luxembourg.
Urso said that 50 million euros ($54.25 million) would be invested and 200 new jobs would be created at the Fucino centre.
The centre is owned by Telespazio, jointly controlled by Italy’s Leonardo with a 67% stake and France’s Thales with the remaining 33%.
($1 = 0.9217 euros)
