High-resolution radar satellites launched for Greece

The two ICEYE synthetic aperture radar satellites, integrated via Exolaunch, were lifted into orbit on 28 November 2025, aboard the SpaceX Transporter-15 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, USA – which also included two ESA HydroGNSS Scout satellites and the next batch of Italy’s IRIDE satellites.

These new ICEYE satellites mark the first launch of the operational Earth observation satellites under the Greek National Small Satellite Programme, which foresees a constellation of 13 satellites, grouped into four categories based on their measurement instruments.

Financed by Greece through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, the programme is designed to advance Greece’s satellite technology and application capabilities, promote job creation and economic growth, and strengthen the country’s capacity for disaster management, continuous environmental monitoring and national security.

While the Hellenic Space Center and the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance lead the project, ESA provides the overarching framework and supports ICEYE’s development of both satellites.

Through this role, ESA ensures that such national initiatives contribute to, and benefit from, a unified system for Earth observation data exchange among its Member States.

The two new ICEYE satellites, which each weigh around 120 kg, use X-band in several observation modes to provide day-and-night high-resolution images, up to 25 cm resolution.

Information from the two satellites will enhance Greece’s capabilities in disaster management and national security. They will enable faster response times and more effective management of natural disasters such as floods, wildfires and landslides.

Greece has an agreement with ICEYE under which the satellites will be operated in orbit by ICEYE. Through this partnership, Greece also gains access to ICEYE’s existing synthetic aperture radar satellite constellation – the largest of its kind in the world – enabling the country to monitor its areas of interest while developing its own space capabilities.

ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli, said, “The selection of ICEYE to develop the synthetic aperture radar satellites for Greece underlines ESA’s ongoing commitment to supporting national space initiatives from its Member States.

“And, speaking of national space initiatives, the next batch of IRIDE satellites for Italy were also launched on the same rocket. This approach also showcases ESA’s distinctive role in maximising the shared benefits of such programmes through a unified framework for Earth observation data exchange.

“The inclusion of ICEYE’s X-band synthetic aperture radar capability in the Greek National Small Satellite Programme is a compelling example of how space technologies translate into tangible and vital benefits on Earth.”

Greece’s Minister of Digital Governance and AI, Dimitrios Papastergiou, said, “The launch of the two ICEYE satellites marks a significant step forward for Greece’s ability to monitor and protect key areas of interest, both on land and at sea, in day and night and under any weather conditions. They will not only strengthen our disaster response capabilities but will also drive innovation within the Greek space sector.”

Next year, an additional eleven operational Earth observation satellites will join the constellation under the Greek National Small Satellite Programme, further enhancing Greece’s Earth observation and space monitoring capabilities.

This expansion will include four thermal-infrared satellites developed by OroraTech, designed to detect heat signatures and monitor wildfires and thermal activity, along with seven high-resolution optical satellites developed by Open Cosmos, providing detailed imagery to support environmental monitoring, agriculture and urban planning.