Italian mission adds to growing IRIDE space fleet

The Eaglet II satellites lifted off on board a Falcon 9 rocket at 19:44 CET (10:44 local time), 28 November, from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, US. All satellites were placed into orbit about one hour after launch. Acquisition of signal for all satellites was confirmed several hours later by OHB’s Mission Control Centre in Rome.

The launch was a rideshare carrying numerous other satellites into orbit, including HydroGNSS (ESA’s first Scout mission under its FutureEO programme) and two ICEYE satellites for Greece.

Data from the IRIDE satellites, of which there are now 16 in orbit, will support products such as maps, monitoring services and multi-temporal analysis. The programme provides services to Italy’s public authorities and supports Italy’s civil protection department. It also provides analytical data for startups, small and medium-sized enterprises and industry sectors.

Eaglet II

Each satellite in the Eaglet II constellation carries a multispectral, high-resolution optical instrument, as well as an Automatic Identification System (AIS) instrument. OHB Italia is the prime contractor for the satellite.

They will orbit at an altitude between 467 km and 625 km above Earth’s surface and provide images with ground resolution of about 2 m.

The mission life for the Eaglet II constellation is about three years and, when complete, it will consist of 24 satellites. Each satellite is the size of a domestic microwave oven and weighs about 25 kg.

Eaglet II is the second of six constellations for IRIDE. The first, Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) was launched earlier this year.

A further four constellations will be launched as part of the IRIDE programme with a total of 68 satellites under development. The other IRIDE satellites will be launched in a staggered approach achieving full deployment by 2027.

Eyes in the sky for Italy

The IRIDE Earth observation system is an initiative by the Italian government to deliver comprehensive satellite data to support the monitoring of a range of phenomena – including ground motion, land cover, water resources, coastal areas and more. The satellite images and information are used in applications and services to support public authorities in making decisions based on data from space, providing information for a wide range of environmental, emergency and security services for Italy.

While the name IRIDE stands for ‘International Report for an Innovative Defence of Earth’, the word ‘iride’ also means ‘iris’ in Italian, reflecting the observational nature of this mission, which carries advanced optical instruments, as well as radar sensors.

Coordinated by ESA with support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the IRIDE programme is an ambitious space initiative funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The PNRR is designed to modernise and revitalise Italy’s economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

A new milestone thanks to teamwork

“The launch of the Eaglet II constellation represents another very important step for the IRIDE programme,” said Simonetta Cheli, ESA’s Director of Earth Observation Programmes. “The satellite data acquired by these constellations will support Italy’s monitoring and protection mechanisms as well as contributing to the management of resources and national security. Reaching this new milestone was possible thanks to the contribution of all the teams involved. In particular, I would like to congratulate OHB Italia, Optec, Aresys and all the companies involved in the creation of this constellation, as well as, of course, my team managing the programme’s implementation.”

Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), noted, “The launch of the Eaglet II constellation also confirms the Italian space sector’s ability to meet the challenging timelines required to deploy PNRR funds. Thanks to the synergy between the European Space Agency and the Italian Space Agency, the far-sighted investments determined by the Italian government are delivering results in the form of cutting-edge technology.”

Roberto Aceti, CEO of OHB Italia, said, “IRIDE represents a new approach to Earth observation: an integrated system serving citizens, institutions and the scientific community. This achievement goes beyond technology, representing the advancement of knowledge and skills that will help Europe address global challenges with greater awareness and responsibility.”