IRIDE satellite captures first high resolution image over Italy

IRIDE satellite captures first high resolution image over Italy
by Erica Marchand
Paris, France (SPX) Mar 30, 2025

The initial image from Italy's IRIDE Earth observation mission was unveiled today, depicting a high-detail strip of the Italian peninsula, including Rome, at a resolution of 2.66 meters. This marks a threefold improvement over previous standard satellite data available for the region.

Captured by the Pathfinder Hawk microsatellite on March 5, 2025, the image was taken during a pass over central Italy, spanning from Fano on the Adriatic Sea across the Apennines to Rome and continuing south to Ostia. Pathfinder Hawk, launched on January 14, is the first in a fleet of satellites forming the IRIDE constellation.

IRIDE is a flagship initiative spearheaded by the Italian government and financed primarily through Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). ESA coordinates the programme with support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI), aiming to deploy over 60 satellites across six distinct constellations.

The unveiling took place at ESA-ESRIN, ESA's Earth observation center in Italy, highlighting the beginning of a new era in domestically developed satellite imagery services. All components of IRIDE's imaging capabilities are Italian-designed and assembled.

The mission's data will support monitoring of marine and coastal areas, bolster environmental protection efforts, and supply key information on air quality, climate trends, water management, and geophysical events like volcanic activity or seismic shifts. IRIDE will also enhance emergency response and national security operations.

IRIDE's services are intended for use by regional and local governments, helping integrate satellite data into daily urban and rural planning tasks. These applications include managing urban development, analyzing land use changes, and evaluating the impact of heat islands in metropolitan zones.

"These first images show the extraordinary potential of IRIDE, made possible thanks to the skills and motivation of the teams from ESA, ASI and Italian industry," said ESA's Head of Earth Observation Programmes, Simonetta Cheli.

She added, "I would like to congratulate Argotec, Officina Stellare, Exprivia and all the companies involved in the creation of this constellation. Thanks to the trust placed in us by the Italian government and the solid collaboration between ESA and ASI, the programme is proceeding with great success."

Teodoro Valente, president of ASI, emphasized Italy's leadership in space-based innovation: "This success is the result of teamwork that sees Italy as a protagonist in space. We will continue to work with determination to ensure that this constellation reaches its full operational capacity, respecting the objectives of the PNRR and providing valuable data for our country and the international community."

The Pathfinder Hawk satellite represents a prototype within the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation. Developed by Turin-based Argotec, the satellite flies at 590 km altitude and delivers images with 2.66 m ground sampling distance. It operates across panchromatic and seven spectral bands, ranging from visible to near-infrared wavelengths.

"This first image taken over Italy is an historic moment for the country and an important milestone in the field of Earth observation. This result confirms Argotec's know-how and the reliability of our satellite platforms," said Argotec CEO David Avino.

IRIDE's total funding reaches 1.1 billion euros, primarily from the PNRR and supplemented by Italy's Complementary National Plan. More than 70 Italian companies contribute to the system, which ESA is managing through development and testing before operational handover to ASI.

With launches scheduled for June and November 2025, IRIDE is on track to become fully operational by mid-2026. Pathfinder Hawk will soon be joined by additional satellites to complete the constellation network.

The six satellite groupings under IRIDE include two SAR (synthetic aperture radar) constellations, one very high-resolution optical constellation, one hyperspectral optical group, and two high-resolution multispectral systems.

ESA's Simonetta Cheli concluded, "As Italians and Europeans, we can be proud of IRIDE, a programme that continues to grow and strengthen our capabilities in the space sector, thanks to the collaboration between institutions and industry."