Europe’s Billion-Euro Satellite Project: Protecting Citizens or Quietly Arming the Sky?

The European Space Agency (ESA), with the backing of the European Commission, is asking for €1 billion to launch a new satellite system, Iris². On paper, it sounds promising: faster internet, secure communications, independence from U.S. tech giants like Starlink. It’s being sold as a way to strengthen Europe’s digital backbone and protect citizens in times of crisis. But the more you look at it, the more it feels like something else entirely. Beneath the buzzwords of “sovereignty” and “resilience” is a deeply controversial move: quietly turning space into the EU’s next military frontier.

Let’s be honest, people don’t save for Europe to build war-ready satellites. Yet Iris² is explicitly “dual-use,” meaning it’s designed to serve both civilian and military purposes. That includes intelligence gathering, encrypted defense communications, and who knows what else. There is no clear framework for who controls this data, how it’s used, or what guardrails will protect citizens from abuse. It’s a slippery slope, and right now, the EU is asking the public to trust without giving real answers.

For many, this feels like a betrayal. In a time when Europeans are grappling with the cost of living, underfunded hospitals, climate disasters, and democratic backsliding, how can a billion-euro military-grade satellite system be a priority? It’s hard not to feel like the EU is funneling public funds into a space arms race while branding it as “innovation.” Activists are calling it out; this isn’t about safety, it’s about power. It’s about surveillance. It’s about shifting Europe’s identity from peacebuilding to war-planning.

What’s worse is how quietly it’s all happening. No public debate, no broad consultation, just strategic documents and press releases, carefully worded to sound harmless. But people are paying attention. From peace organizations to digital rights activists, voices across the continent are asking the tough questions: Are we building satellites to connect villages, or to monitor them? Are we preparing for future crises, or fueling new ones?

The EU’s vision of the future shouldn’t be built behind closed doors or launched into orbit without a fight. If this is about protecting people, it’s time to prove it, with transparency, accountability, and public input. Until then, many will see Iris² not as a step forward, but a dangerous turn toward militarizing our skies.