Name

IRIDE-MS2-HEO-02

Alternate Names

HEO 02 (a.k.a Fausto)

Satellite ID

GLPZ-0943-1414-0560-0702

NORAD ID

64569

Website

https://argotecgroup.com/missions/earth-orbits/heo

Operator

ESA - European Space Agency

Country of Origin

Italy

Launch Date

2025-06-23T21:25:00+00:00

Deploy Date

2025-06-23T23:44:12+00:00

On 23 June 2025, seven microsatellites from the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation were successfully launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Transporter-14 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The HEO constellation, developed by the Italian aerospace company Argotec, is part of IRIDE, a flagship Earth observation programme initiated by the Italian Government and funded through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR). The programme is coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with the support of the Italian Space Agency (ASI). IRIDE aims to deploy a multi-constellation system of satellites to deliver high-resolution, high-frequency imagery for environmental monitoring, climate change analysis, and civil protection. HEO, weighing approximately 65 kg, is a microsatellite equipped with a high-performance hyperspectral payload for earth linescan acquisitions. It features advanced onboard processing capabilities, enabling real-time image handling and data compression. The spacecraft is powered by body-mounted and deployable solar panels, and it uses a chemical propulsion system based on propylene and nitrous oxide, with four 1N thrusters for orbital manoeuvres. The launched 7 HEO spacecraft are joining the HEO Pathfinder launched on early 2025, marking the beginning of the IRIDE constellation deployment, with a further launch of fifteen HEO's planned by mid-2026. Once fully operational, the IRIDE system will represent one of Europe’s most comprehensive Earth observation infrastructures, delivering critical data to support sustainable development, disaster response, and scientific research.