IRIDE satellites
IRIDE’s system consists of six constellations equipped with sensors for Earth observation. It is one of the most complex and comprehensive Earth observation satellite systems in the world.
Each of the six constellations carries different types of sensors, which detect a wide range of characteristics of the Earth’s surface, providing the core inputs for the data products and services offered by IRIDE:
Radar sensors
IRIDE has two constellations with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) instruments. They use an imaging technique based on radar pulses to produce high-resolution images even with cloud coverage and in total darkness.
Optical sensors
IRIDE has four optical sensor constellations, including one with hyperspectral instruments and three with multispectral instruments. Optical sensors provide observations with various spatial and spectral resolutions in the visible and infrared spectra, including hyperspectral and multispectral optical instruments.
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The six constellations, along with their corresponding sensor types, are as follows:
- Nimbus SAR (SAR, high-resolution instrument)
- NOX SAR (SAR, high-resolution instrument)
- Nimbus VHR (multispectral, very high-resolution optical instrument)
- PLATiNO-Hyperspectral (hyperspectral optical instrument)
- Hawk for Earth Observation – HEO (multispectral, high-resolution optical instrument)
- Eaglet II (multispectral, high-resolution optical instrument)
Each of the constellations with optical sensors, plus the NOX SAR constellation, will orbit Earth at an altitude between 460 km and 600 km, in a Sun-synchronous orbit. In this type of orbit, the satellites pass over both the North and the South poles and travel at the same rate as the Earth's orbital motion around the Sun – this ensures consistent lighting conditions for observations, which can be made at the same time each day.
The Nimbus SAR constellation will be placed in mid inclined orbits at an altitude of about 550 km. This specific orbital inclination allows more frequent coverage of the Italian territory. Also, it allows determination of the North-South component of the ground displacement, in addition to the East-West component determined by satellites in polar orbits.
In total, 68 satellites are under development. Data captured by the satellites will be transmitted to ground stations, processed and fed into IRIDE’s service pipeline.
