Arianespace won a contract from the Italian government for up to three Vega C launches of an Earth observation constellation.
Arianespace signed a contract with the European Space Agency for launching the IRIDE constellation of imaging satellites. The contract includes two firm Vega C launches, starting in late 2025, with an option for a third.
The IRIDE constellation named after the Italian word for Iris, funded by the Italian government, will include 36 satellites built by a consortium of Italian companies that will be equipped with a range of imaging payloads, including optical and radar.
Simonetta Cheli, Director of Earth observation at ESA in a statement said that “ESA repays the trust of the Italian government while confirming its confidence in Arianespace and in the Vega C launch system,”.
The overall IRIDE system, including satellites, launch and ground systems, is estimated at 1.3 billion euros ($1.38 billion) and is funded by Italy’s National Plan for Recovery and Resilience, or PNRR, an initiative by the Italian government to help the country recover from the pandemic.
