The Italian IRIDE constellation grows: a European record with the simultaneous launch of seven HEO satellites

An absolute record for Italy and Europe has been achieved with the simultaneous launch of seven satellites belonging to the same institutional constellation, IRIDE . This milestone is the result of the program desired by the Italian Government, coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and implemented by Argotec, one of the main industrial protagonists of the project.

The launch of the seven HEO (Hawk for Earth Observation) satellites took place at 11.25pm ​​on Monday 23 June, aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. A few hours after the launch, the satellites' signal was successfully acquired, an operation monitored by Argotec's Mission Control Center .

The IRIDE satellite constellation is financed with an investment of over one billion euros from PNRR funds, supported by national funds. It is a "constellation of constellations", composed of satellites heterogeneous in technology and capacity, intended for monitoring natural events, observing climate change and mapping critical infrastructures for security.

The ambitious goal is to create the most important Italian constellation for Earth observation, as well as one of the largest in Europe. This project confirms Italy's excellence in the space sector , providing the country with a strategic, autonomous and high-resolution instrument for Earth surveillance.

The new HEO satellites join Pathfinder, the first satellite of the IRIDE constellation, launched on 14 January. Pathfinder has already provided the first image of the mission – a view of central Rome – presented during a press conference at ESA-ESRIN together with the heads of ESA, ASI and Argotec. The HEO satellites were built by Argotec in record time, a success that testifies to the commitment and expertise of the young talents involved.

Statements from the heads of the agencies and companies involved underline the strategic importance of this primacy.

Simonetta Cheli, Director of ESA Earth Observation Programmes and ESA ESRIN, expressed great satisfaction : " We are proud to announce the successful launch of the satellites of the IRIDE Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) satellite constellation. The first IRIDE constellation materializes with the launch of these satellites that join the Pathfinder already launched in January. This milestone represents an important step for the IRIDE programme, whose satellite data will be able to support the protection of our planet, the management of resources and global security. IRIDE is the result of collaboration between the Italian Government, ESA, the Italian Space Agency and the entire Italian space industry. I would like to thank all the teams involved that made this important result possible, in particular I would like to congratulate Argotec, Officina Stellare, Exprivia and all the companies involved in the creation of this constellation. This is another important step, but I would like to point out that soon new IRIDE constellations, created by other industrial groups, will be sent into space, further expanding the capabilities of the programme. With this milestone, I would like to thank all the teams involved that made this important result possible, in particular I would like to congratulate Argotec, Officina Stellare, Exprivia and all the companies involved in the creation of this constellation. This is another important step, but I would like to point out that soon new IRIDE constellations, created by other industrial groups, will be sent into space, further expanding the capabilities of the programme. mission, we demonstrate once again the ability to put technology at the service of humanity to support the most urgent challenges ."

Teodoro Valente, President of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), highlighted the strategic importance of the project : " The IRIDE constellation is starting to take shape in orbit. This is a significant milestone, of which we are very proud, due to the strategic importance that the project has on several fronts. First of all, for the health of our planet: the activities related to the constellation will be able to count on new and powerful "eyes" from space, which will help us protect, study climate change and defend the delicate balance of our ecosystem. It is also an important result because it demonstrates the level of expertise and consolidation achieved by our supply chain, which has been able to implement a challenging and complex program in record time. The joint effort between the Italian Space Agency and the European Space Agency has made it possible to capitalize on and guide the investments of the Italian Government from the PNRR funds. Thanks go to all those, from industry and Agencies, who are offering their considerable contribution to achieving the final objective. This launch will soon be followed by others, which will allow us to compose, in the challenging timescales envisaged by the PNRR, the complex Earth observation constellation. "

Finally, David Avino, CEO and founder of Argotec, expressed his satisfaction with the operational success : " It is a great satisfaction to witness a new launch after a few months. There are always many unknowns, especially when there are so many variables: production, timing, transport, testing, launch, all multiplied by seven, like the satellites that launched today. It is a commitment that involves our team to offer our country latest-generation tools to monitor our planet. A goal made possible by the know-how and the all-in-house production model of the SpacePark, key elements of the Italian excellence and innovation that characterize us. If even one step counts, today we have taken seven. By 2026, Argotec is ready to build up to 25, all equipped with multispectral optical sensors capable of acquiring images in different wavelengths, both visible and near infrared ."