IRIDE
| Mission type | Earth observation |
|---|---|
| Operator | ASI/ESA |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Manufacturer | Argotec (MS2-HEO) ASI (MS1-EAGLET2) SITAEL S.p.A (HYP-PLATINO) Thales Alenia Space (SAR-NIMBUS & VHR-NIMBUS) D-Orbit (SAR-NOX) |
| Launch mass | 70 kg (150 lb) (MS2-HEO) 580 kg (1,280 lb) (SAR-NOX) |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | First: 14 January 2025 (IRIDE-MS2-HEO 1) Last (recent): 23 June 2025 (IRIDE-MS2-HEO 2-6,8,9) |
| Rocket | Falcon 9 Block 5 Vega-C |
| Launch site | Vandenberg, SLC-4E Kourou, ELV |
| Contractor | SpaceX Arianespace/Avio |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric orbit |
| Regime | Sun-synchronous orbit |
IRIDE (Italian: Iniziativi di Resilienza per l'Italia Dalle Emergenze, Initiatives for Italy's Resilience from Emergencies) is an Italian Earth observation satellite program developed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the National Complementary Plan (NCP). Coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), IRIDE aims to establish a comprehensive satellite constellation for environmental monitoring, disaster management, civil protection, security, and public administration support. The program, involving over 73 Italian companies, is set to be fully operational by June 2026 and is designed as a "constellation of constellations" with advanced sensor technologies.[1][2][3]
Satellite Technologies
[edit]IRIDE's constellation is built on multiple platforms, enabling high-revisit rates, all-weather/day-night imaging, and versatile applications:
1) Hawk for Earth observation (HEO) Platform is Developed by Argotec involved in manufacturing 25 IRIDE Earth observation.[4]
2) EAGLET2 Platform is Developed by ASI involved in manufacturing 24 IRIDE Satellites.[5]
3) PLATINO bus is Developed by SITAEL S.p.A with Hyperspectral Imaging payloads from Leonardo involved in manufacturing 5 IRIDE Satellites.[6]
4) NIMBUS Platform Developed by Thales Alenia Space involved in manufacturing 12 SAR and one VHR IRIDE Satellites.[7][8] and one IRIDE-SAR-NOX Satellites Developed by D-Orbit for the IRIDE programme.[9][10]
Launch history
[edit]| Name | SATCAT | Launch date (UTC) | Launch vehicle | Orbital apsis | Inclination | Period (min) | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 1[11][12][13] | 14 January 2025 | Falcon 9 Block 5 | 98° | Operational | |||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 2[14] | 23 June 2025 | Operational | |||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 3 | Operational | ||||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 4 | Operational | ||||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 5 | Operational | ||||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 6 | Operational | ||||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 8 | Operational | ||||||
| IRIDE-MS2-HEO 9 | Operational |
See also
[edit]Reference
[edit]- ^ "IRIDE". www.telespazio.com. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "Moving ahead with Italy's constellation of Earth observation satellites". www.esa.int. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (14 April 2025). "Italy Moves Ahead With Study for 100-Satellite Constellation". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-MS2-HEO 1, ..., 25". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-MS1-EAGLET2 1, ..., 25". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-HYP-PLATINO 1, ..., 5". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-SAR-NIMBUS 1, ..., 12". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-VHR-NIMBUS 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "IRIDE-SAR-NOX 1". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "ESA orders 6 additional radar-based satellites to Thales Alenia Space for IRIDE Earth observation constellation | Thales Alenia Space". www.thalesaleniaspace.com. 16 October 2024. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "Italy's IRIDE programme marks major step with first satellite constellation". www.esa.int. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (28 March 2025). "Italy's IRIDE Pathfinder Satellite Beams Back First Views of Earth". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "Falcon 9 Block 5 | Transporter 12". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 18 September 2025.
- ^ "Falcon 9 Block 5 | Transporter 14". nextspaceflight.com. Retrieved 18 September 2025.