Iride becomes operational: Italy opens access to its new space infrastructure.
From July 1st, the operational phase of Iride, the most important Italian program for Earth Observation, begins. Coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the Italian space program funded through PNRR funds, Iride foresees the creation of satellite constellations dedicated to Earth Observation.
In particular, starting today, ASI progressively opens access to the first satellite data and geospatial services of the system through the Iride Marketplace, the platform where users can consult the catalog of available data, request new satellite acquisitions, and access the operational geospatial products and services that will come into operation with the system’s evolution. These are developed based on the needs expressed by the Public Administration, supporting security, environmental sustainability, and the country’s development.
Thus, a new phase opens in the operational use of national Earth Observation capabilities. At the same time, the progressive transfer of the Iride system from ESA to ASI, owner of the national infrastructure, also begins.
All the details.
IRIDE, THE NATIONAL EARTH OBSERVATION PROGRAM
It is a hybrid constellation composed of satellites of different classes with dedicated Earth observation sensors; an end-to-end system consisting of a set of sub-constellations of satellites in low Earth orbit (Low Earth Orbit), the operational ground infrastructure (Downstream), and services intended for the Italian Public Administration.
The program is valued at 1.1 billion euros, of which 800 million are financed precisely by the PNRR. It is an ambitious project as it must be operational by June 2026, the PNRR target.
The system is conceived as an end-to-end infrastructure that integrates space components, ground infrastructures, and digital services dedicated to data management and distribution. The mission aims to increase the national Earth observation capacity via satellites and provide geospatial information useful to public administrations and institutional users.
As highlighted by the document defining the rules for access, use, and distribution of Iride data and products, the system aims to “increase the national Earth Observation capacity from satellites primarily over Italian territory, in order to provide geospatial information for government users.”
IN LINE WITH THE PNRR TIMELINES
“Iride demonstrates an unprecedented strategic capability for Italy,” stated Teodoro Valente, president of ASI. “The result of a virtuous synergy between institutions, companies, universities, and research centers, this constellation of constellations transforms information from Space into knowledge and cutting-edge operational activities, thanks to the ability to integrate satellite data, digital infrastructures, and advanced geospatial services,” Valente continued, adding that “today’s operations in the Marketplace domain are further confirmation of the excellence role and great capabilities of our space system, and in particular of the Italian Space Agency, which proves fully aligned with the timelines and the path outlined by the PNRR. With the Iride program, all the planned steps and milestones have been rigorously respected at every stage.”
MILESTONES REACHED AHEAD OF SCHEDULE
“Thanks to the joint commitment of all involved partners, the program is proceeding in full compliance with the planned roadmap, reaching the PNRR milestones several months ahead of schedule,” commented Simonetta Cheli, director of Earth Observation programs at ESA and head of ESA-ESRIN. “With the achievement of this new milestone,” Cheli continued, “Iride strengthens its Earth observation capabilities, making available to users on the Marketplace images and data of the highest quality that constitute a fundamental tool for territory monitoring, environmental protection, natural resource management, emergency management support, and security.”
Furthermore, “The system’s expansion, which includes the completion of the constellations and the activation of services based on the use of Earth observation data, will make Iride an increasingly complete and strategic infrastructure, capable of offering excellent services to the country and enhancing the heritage of skills in the Italian and European space sector,” Cheli concluded.
ARGOTEC, E-GEOS EXPRIVIA, OHB ITALIA, PLANETEK AND S&T AMONG THE INDUSTRIAL PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THE OPERATIONAL START-UP
To symbolically accompany the start of the operational phase, at 00:01 today the “Iride First Operational Tasking” was executed, followed in real-time by the e-Geos operations center (a company jointly owned by Telespazio and ASI) as part of an initiative promoted by the Italian Space Agency with the participation of the program’s industrial partners.
The management of infrastructures and the provision of services planned in this first operational phase of the system are entrusted to the following prime industrial contractors: Argotec, e-Geos, Exprivia, OHB Italia, Planetek, and S&T.
TRANSFER OF THE SYSTEM FROM ESA TO ASI
Finally, the progressive transfer of the Iride system from ESA to ASI, owner of the national infrastructure, also begins. The commissioning of Iride will be gradual and will follow the completion of the development of the satellite constellations, ground infrastructures, and geospatial services that make up the national ecosystem of the Earth Observation program, ASI’s statement indicates. The system will progressively make satellite data, products, and geospatial services available to support the activities of public administrations and, subsequently, a broader audience of national and international users.
Indeed, while the first phase of the program is dedicated to Italian institutional users, who will be able to access the data and products provided by the Iride Data Policy free of charge, the system will later be opened to international users and companies, fostering the development of new applications, value-added services, and growth opportunities for the national space economy.
