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04/05/2026
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Thirteen European satellites on the same rideshare launcher have successfully reached orbit, bringing capabilities to Italian and Greek monitoring programmes as well as CubeSats that will test satellite connectivity.
The European satellites are:
Seven satellites were added to the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation for Italy’s IRIDE Earth observation programme.
Four Hellenic Fire System satellites were launched for Greece’s wildfire detection and tracking system, marking a world first for this type of national satellite capability.
Two CubeSats were launched, also for Greece, for the Hellenic Space Dawn mission. The CubeSats will test satellite links and optical data transmission capabilities in space.
The launch took place on Sunday, 3 May, at 09:00 CEST on board a SpaceX Falcon-9 rocket from the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
Simonetta Cheli, Director of ESA’s Earth Observation Programmes, said, “The launch of seven more satellites from IRIDE’s HEO constellation marks a new milestone for the entire programme and an expansion of the system’s capabilities. I would like to thank the teams involved in this achievement, including the teams at ESA, ASI and Argotec.
“And the Hellenic Fire System is a powerful example of what can be achieved through collaboration. By bringing together the Greek government, industry and ESA, the Hellenic Fire System shows how European cooperation can turn innovation into operational capability. It demonstrates the value of partnership in developing sovereign space solutions that serve national needs while advancing shared goals.”
Laurent Jaffart, Director of ESA’s Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, said: “ESA is committed to advancing Europe’s vision for next-generation connectivity, and the launch of Hellenic Space Dawn confidently builds on these capabilities by showcasing innovative optical communications. From strengthening national ecosystems, to supporting pioneering New Space solutions, ESA is enabling resilient, high-performance satellite networks by helping our partners mature the technologies that will underpin our Member States’ autonomy and competitiveness in space. Congratulations to all involved!”
IRIDE’s HEO constellation for Italy
Argotec’s mission control room in Italy
IRIDE is a national mission initiated by the Italian government. Coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the programme is an ambitious space initiative funded by Italy’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), which is designed to modernise and revitalise Italy’s economy in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The constellation carries multispectral, high-resolution optical instruments, which capture image data across multiple wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. The data contribute to products and services that will help public authorities monitor costal and maritime areas, land cover and use, as well as manage emergency and security services for Italy.
The seven newly launched HEO satellites were developed by Argotec for the IRIDE programme. They bring the total number of IRIDE satellites in orbit to 31 and they join HEO Pathfinder and the seven satellites launched in June 2025. The first eight HEO satellites are fully operational and producing data and images.
Hellenic Fire System satellites launched for Greece
Hellenic Fire System satellite undergoing magnetic cleaning
The mission is the result of cooperation between the Greek government, private satellite company OroraTech and the European Space Agency (ESA), supported through the EU-funded Recovery and Resilience Facility.
Following the launch of two ICEYE radar satellites launched at the end of last year, the Hellenic Fire System, developed by OroraTech, is the second operational Earth observation mission developed under the Greek National Small Satellite Programme. The programme will ultimately consist of 13 satellites organised into four groups based on their instruments and mission objectives.
Funded by Greece through the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, the programme is intended to expand national satellite technologies and services, support innovation and economic growth, and strengthen capabilities in disaster response, environmental monitoring and national security.
The Hellenic Space Center and the Greek Ministry of Digital Governance and Artificial Intelligence oversee the programme, while ESA provides the overarching framework and technical support for development of the satellite systems.
Testing connectivity with two new CubeSats
Hellenic Space Dawn CubeSats integrated in their deployment system from Exolaunch
Hellenic Space Dawn is part of an initiative supported by ESA and Greek national authorities. It also forms part of the broader Greek Connect/National Satellite Space Programme.
Two newly launched CubeSats, Helios and Selene, which are managed by EMTech Space, carry CubeCAT laser terminals, provided by AAC Clyde Space. CubeCAT is compact, and highly efficient, providing fast, secure data links between CubeSats, SmallSats, and Earth. The terminal enables up to 1 Gbps downlink speeds.
In addition to the terminal, Helios and Selene will also carry high-resolution cameras that will help with applications such as cartography (making maps out of data from space) and land-use monitoring.
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