IRIDE, which stands for International Report for an Innovative Defence of Earth, is an ambitious Italian Earth observation programme. It will provide information for a wide range of environmental, emergency and security products and services that will help public authorities to make decisions based on scientific data from space.
Coordinated by ESA with support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI), the IRIDE programme involves the deployment of six satellite constellations. It is one of the most complex and comprehensive Earth observation satellite systems in the world. Each constellation carries specific satellite technology, from radar and optical to hyperspectral and multispectral instruments.
The overall IRIDE constellation is expected to be operational by June 2026.