The second operational group of Eaglet II satellites has entered a new phase of the Italian space program IRIDE, an ambitious "constellation of constellations" intended for systematic Earth observation for the needs of public administration and the economy. Eight new spacecraft took off on November 28, 2025, at 19:44 Central European Time, on a Falcon 9 rocket rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This added a new optical component of IRIDE to low Earth orbit, and the total number of mission satellites reached sixteen – after the Pathfinder (January) and seven members of the first operational HEO constellation (June).

What the new launch brings: technical effects and institutional goal

Eaglet II belongs to the multispectral, high-resolution optical line of IRIDE. Each satellite is the size of a home microwave oven, with a mass of approximately 25 kg, featuring an electro-optical telescope that enables images with a ground-spatial resolution of up to about 2 m (Ground Sample Distance < 2 m). Alongside the primary optical mission, an Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver is integrated for receiving and forwarding messages about ship positions. Such a combination allows the same scene on land to be observed in detail, while simultaneously collecting signals about actual traffic at sea, which is particularly useful for navigation safety, fisheries monitoring, pollution control, and combating illegal activities.

The spacecraft will operate in Low Earth Orbit (LEO), in sun-synchronous planes at approximately 500 km altitude. This geometry allows for stable illumination of scenes and efficient compilation of multiple images of the same area (multi-temporal analysis). In operational mode, dual local overpass time points are planned, increasing the chances that critical events – such as floods, landslides, or forest fires – are recorded within the operational windows of civil protection services. Nominal altitudes for this type of platform range around 467–525 km, with targeted local nodes (morning and afternoon) aligned for consistent illumination and optimal data usability at the state level.

Rideshare with the HydroGNSS mission and Greek ICEYE satellites

The launch of Eaglet II was carried out as part of SpaceX's Transporter-15 mission, which also carried a series of international payloads into orbit. Among them stands out HydroGNSS, the first Scout project of the European Space Agency (ESA) within the FutureEO program. Two HydroGNSS satellites use the GNSS reflectometry technique (GNSS-R) to estimate key hydrological variables independently of clouds and illumination: soil moisture, freeze and thaw states in permafrost, flood areas and wetlands, and biomass. Part of the Greek national small satellite program was also launched in the same rideshare – radar satellites developed by the company ICEYE, giving the flight an additional regional dimension of cooperation in Earth observation.

From HEO to Eaglet II: how IRIDE is growing

IRIDE has been, since December 2021, a strategic project of the Italian Government coordinated by ESA with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), with funding from the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and the accompanying National Complementary Plan. After the HEO Pathfinder arrived in orbit in January 2025, on June 23, 2025, SpaceX's Falcon 9 deployed the first seven operational satellites of the HEO constellation during a mission from Vandenberg. This established the foundation of IRIDE's optical segment. With the addition of eight Eaglet IIs, the network expands with an emphasis on faster revisit times over the Apennine Peninsula and the Mediterranean, while simultaneously maintaining continuity of optical data complementary to the planned radar and hyperspectral elements.

The role of industry: OHB Italia as the lead and the consortium value chain

The prime contractor for the Eaglet II series is OHB Italia, in partnership with a series of domestic subcontractors and academic institutions. The industrial design relies on a multi-mission modular platform of low mass, which enabled rapid production and integration of multiple satellite batches within short PNRR deadlines. The electro-optical system is designed for reliable multispectral imaging with meter-level resolution, while the AIS receiver collects and forwards ship messages in real time. Such an architecture is also suitable for operational emergency intervention scenarios, as the optical and AIS layers can be used in the same spatiotemporal matrix. Low-latency X-band ensures rapid data transmission to the ground segment and its preparation for distribution to end users.

Technical features and operational architecture

• Instrumentation: Multispectral optical telescope (GSD < 2 m) and AIS receiver; dual purpose – high-resolution land scenes and maritime traffic.


• Platform and mass: Micro-satellite (~25 kg) on a multi-mission modular platform; format suitable for serial production and rapid integration.


• Orbit: Sun-synchronous paths around 500 km (nominally ~467–525 km), with designed local overpass times for maximum data usability for Italian operational services.


• Data and latency: Rapid delivery to the ground segment (Downstream) with priorities for emergency services and early warning systems; interoperability with other IRIDE constellations (SAR, hyperspectral, etc.).


• Lifespan and maintenance: About three years of nominal operation per satellite; the fleet is replenished and renewed in phases ("staggered deployment") to ensure continuous coverage and orbit repeatability.

Why the combination of optics and AIS is special

On land, the optical channel with a meter level of detail enables precise mapping of land cover, monitoring of critical infrastructure, and tracking spatial changes (urbanization, erosion, soil degradation, invasive species). The same sensorics, in combination with machine learning architectures, generate layered products: from object detection (e.g., vehicles, ships, embankments) to the extraction of thematic classes (agricultural crops, forest stands, water bodies). The AIS component brings a parallel dimension: it enables linking a specific occurrence at sea with the identity and movement of a specific vessel, providing operationally applicable evidence for inspection services, the coast guard, and ports. The synergy of optics and AIS thus logically complements data from IRIDE's radar constellations, which bring independence from illumination and clouds as well as additional geometric information about surface changes.

Services for public administration, civil protection, and the economy

IRIDE was conceived from the start as a state, but open system. The most demanding users are public bodies: from the Department of Civil Protection, through ministries responsible for the environment, agriculture, and transport, to regional administrations for water management and spatial planning. Operational services need up-to-date maps of flood fronts, damage assessments after earthquakes, landslide records, and drought monitoring. In coastal areas, early detection of oil spills, assessment of algal blooms, and monitoring of construction sites in the marine zone are required. The Downstream segment of IRIDE is designed to produce thematic maps, reports, and metadata according to open geo-service interface standards, and data policies encourage secondary use of information in the public and private sectors.

Another important goal is the creation of a geoinformation market for small and medium-sized enterprises. Startups and technology companies get the opportunity to build applications on top of IRIDE layers: from smart agriculture and precision irrigation, through optimization of logistics chains, to development tools for digital twins (Digital Twin) that combine satellite data with field sensors and simulations. Such "platformization" of data has the potential to multiply the effects of public investment and accelerate innovations in a range of industries, including energy, construction, tourism, and environmental protection.

Launch site, time, and chronology of events

The launch was conducted from the Californian base Vandenberg SFB, with a liftoff time of 19:44 Central European Time, on November 28, 2025. As this is a rideshare mission with dozens of payloads, satellite separations took place in gradual sequences during the first orbital hour and beyond. The launch could be watched live via ESA Web TV, and official announcements confirmed the nominal course of events, including successful separate injections into targeted orbits.

Where HEO and other constellations fit in

IRIDE as a "constellation of constellations" includes six groups of satellites with sensor diversities: along with multispectral optical systems (HEO and Eaglet II), there are also radar observations (SAR) that enable operation at night and through clouds, hyperspectral imaging for chemical signatures of vegetation and materials, and infrared channels for thermal analyses and detection of urban heat islands. Such a mosaic architecture provides the possibility of merging (data fusion) – for example, SAR detects ground displacement, optics verify the change on the surface, and hyperspectral looks for a chemical signature. This reduces the number of false positive detections and increases the reliability of assessments in real operational conditions.

PNRR deadlines and industrial tempo

The program is timed according to strict set PNRR deadlines: ESA reported that all contracts were concluded by March 31, 2023, and the system needs to reach operational maturity by mid-2026. The deployment of additional satellite batches will take place in phases, so that a stable operational number of spacecraft is maintained despite the arrival of new ones and the planned retirement of older units. The "staggered deployment" approach is key because it ensures spatial and temporal consistency of data in multi-year series, which is a prerequisite for reliable trend analyses and evidence-based decision-making.

Use cases: from floods to urban planning

Flood and torrential flow management. Multispectral images before/after the event allow automatic extraction of water surfaces and damage assessment on roads, bridges, and settlements. In combination with meteorological forecasts and hydrological models, a basis for dynamic risk maps and evacuation plans is obtained.

Forest fires. Optical channels reveal burn scars and changes in vegetation indices, while the AIS layer helps in monitoring navigation during evacuations, relocating firefighting resources, and managing safety zones in the coastal area.

Agriculture. Through seasonal time series, soil moisture, plant stress, and phenological phases are analyzed, which helps in precise fertilization and irrigation and reduction of water and energy consumption. This also supports the implementation of the Common Agricultural Policy, where objective records of crop conditions are needed.

Urbanism and infrastructures. Frequent high-resolution images help in monitoring construction sites, detecting illegal construction, and tracking transport corridors; by merging with SAR, ground subsidence under embankments, tracks, and individual bridge sections is detected.

Sea and coast. Optics identify oil spills and eutrophication hubs, while AIS enables connection with concrete vessels in the zone of interest, thereby speeding up the inspection procedure and optimizing the deployment of coast guard vessels.

Openness of data and application ecosystem

Since IRIDE is intended to serve public institutions but also stimulate economic development, the data architecture moves in the direction of open standards (OGC) and programming interfaces suitable for integration with existing national and European platforms. Growth is expected in the market of services that base specialized products on IRIDE – from systems for smart cities and civil protection to agricultural advisory platforms. Additionally, the education and research sector gains a generous source of data for training and validation of machine learning models in remote sensing. By using common metadata standards and API key issuance systems, exchange between national and local bodies and the private sector is facilitated.

Broader meaning: from "Iride" as iris to acronym

The name IRIDE is also the Italian word for the iris (of the eye), alluding to the observational nature of the mission and the optics at the center of part of the system. In official materials and partner communication, IRIDE is also interpreted as an acronym for International Report for an Innovative Defence of Earth – a conceptual framework that emphasizes the mission of public benefit and environmental defense with data from space. Such double naming helps in popularizing the program within Italy and on the international stage.

What follows: full batches and target operability

In the coming months, further batches of IRIDE sub-constellations are expected, including radar and hyperspectral elements, while Eaglet II transitions from the early operations phase (LEOP/IOC) to regular data production. The total number of satellites in the system will ultimately exceed sixty, and plans communicated by ESA foresee the system reaching full operability by mid-2026. Thanks to the serial approach and platform modularity, the Italian industry maintains a delivery rhythm aligned with PNRR deadlines and ensures maintenance and replacements in orbit without major service interruptions.

The deployment of eight Eaglet II satellites in a single mission – in parallel with pioneering climate satellites HydroGNSS and radar elements of the Greek program – is yet another sign of the maturation of a paradigm in which institutional needs are met faster through new, agile production and launch models. IRIDE thus not only strengthens national observation and decision-making capacities but also positions the Italian space sector as a reliable European supplier of next-generation technology and services.