IRIDE
IRIDE is one of the most important and ambitious space programmes for Earth Observation, based on a constellation of low-orbit satellites. All-Italian, it represents a major component of the NextGenerationEU dedicated to the development of space activities, supporting the ecological and digital transition.
The project is financed by the Italian PNRR (National Plan for Recovery and Resilience) funds and complemented by national funds for a total value of EUR 1.1 billion. Promoted by the Italian government, the development of the IRIDE system will be completed in Italy by 2026 with the support of ESA (European Space Agency) and ASI (Italian Space Agency).
Italian Government
Scopes of the programme
The programme will build an end-to-end system consisting of LEO satellite constellations (Upstream Segment), the ground operational infrastructure (Downstream Segment) and geospatial services for Italian (Service Segment) and European public administration and private customers. The IRIDE constellation will be unique in its kind, being based on a series of different sensing instruments and technologies, ranging from microwave imaging (through Synthetic Aperture Radar, SAR), to optical imaging at various spatial resolutions (from high to medium resolution) and in different frequency ranges, from panchromatic, to multispectral, to hyperspectral, to infrared bands.
The constellation will help the Civil Protection Department and other administrations to tackle hydrogeological instability and fires, protect coastlines and monitor critical infrastructures, air quality and weather conditions. A system that will provide multi-sensor and multi-weather monitoring, which, with the help of artificial intelligence techniques, will be able to support even rapid analyses for various types of emergencies: from droughts to fires, from water saving in agriculture to the monitoring of waste disposal and pollutant discharges.
In particular, IRIDE will offer 8 macro-services related to marine and coastal monitoring, air quality, land movement monitoring, land cover, hydro weather climate, water resource monitoring, emergency management and security.
Numbers
satelliti
aziende italiane coinvolte
investiti
The role of Ithaca
In the project, we are in charge of leading the activities aimed at defining the procedures for the validation and uptake service of geospatial data derived from remote sensing equipment. In parallel, by virtue of our decades of experience, we are involved in the design, development and implementation of the portfolio of operational services aimed at the production of geospatial products relating to 2 of the 8 macro services Emergency Management and Security.