Gibraltar imaged by IRIDE Eaglet II

While the final eight IRIDE Eaglet II satellites were launched a week ago, the first images from Eaglet II satellites launched earlier are being returned, including a view of Gibraltar featured here.

Soon after launch, the satellites start acquiring and transmitting high-resolution images of the Earth. The results confirm the success of the initial in-orbit operations, the effectiveness of the systems developed, and the value of the infrastructure for applications such as port and airport monitoring and maritime traffic surveillance.

For example, this image shows Gibraltar, with the iconic Rock of Gibraltar dominating the peninsula. The densely built urban area, port facilities and airport are clearly visible, while numerous ships dot the surrounding waters.

To read more and access more of first images, see the ASI news release.

The IRIDE Eaglet II constellation, entirely designed and developed by OHB Italia and equipped with a dedicated Control Centre for satellite operations throughout all phases of the mission, was recently completed with the launch of its final eight satellites. All of them have successfully completed the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (LEOP), the first major operational milestone following launch: the satellites were successfully placed into orbit and are now ready for performance verification and subsequent entry into service.

The images, received by OHB Italia’s Control Centre in Rome, are the outcome of the satellites’ crucial commissioning phase and demonstrate the capabilities of both the platform and the optical instrument.

Like the other 16 satellites in the Eaglet II constellation, each carries a multispectral sensor, which captures images of Earth’s surface, as well as an automatic identification system to support maritime monitoring and safety services.

As well as the Eaglet II constellation, the IRIDE programme has also launched Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) satellites. The HEO constellation carries multispectral, high-resolution optical instruments, which capture image data across multiple wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. Argotec is responsible for developing and building the HEO satellites.

About IRIDE
IRIDE is the national Earth observation infrastructure owned by the Italian Space Agency (ASI), developed under the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and supplemented by the Complementary National Plan (PNC). The programme, which is developed by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), integrates satellite constellations, ground infrastructure, and digital services to transform Earth observation data into operational geospatial services that support institutions, public administration, research, and the country's economic development. Upon completion of the development and validation phase, operational responsibility for the system is progressively transferred to ASI, which oversees its operational management and evolution.