Radar satellites added to IRIDE Earth observation constellation by Thales
NewsOctober 17, 2024
MILAN, Italy. Thales Alenia Space won a 107 million euro contract from the European Space Agency (ESA) to deliver six additional radar-based satellites for Italy’s IRIDE Earth observation constellation, the company announced in a statement.
The new satellites, which will be built on the NIMBUS (New Italian Micro Bus) platform, will expand IRIDE’s Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) capabilities, the statement reads. This latest order brings the total number of satellites for the IRIDE program to 13, with 12 based on SAR technology and one using optical technology, according to the company.
IRIDE, funded through Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and managed by ESA in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency (ASI), is expected to be fully operational by 2026, providing Earth observation data for Italy and Europe, the statement reads.
