Gibraltar imaged by IRIDE Eaglet II

The IRIDE Eaglet II constellation has returned its first high-resolution images of Earth, including a detailed view of Gibraltar showing the Rock, urban area, port facilities, airport and surrounding maritime traffic. These images were acquired by OHB Italia’s Control Centre in Rome following the successful Launch and Early Orbit Phase of the final eight satellites launched a week ago.

Gibraltar imaged by IRIDE Eaglet II

The IRIDE Eaglet II constellation, designed and developed by OHB Italia, has begun returning Earth observation data after completing its launch phase. The first images, received by OHB Italia’s Control Centre in Rome, confirm the success of in-orbit operations and the effectiveness of the satellite systems. Each satellite in the constellation carries a multispectral sensor and an automatic identification system to support maritime monitoring and safety services.

The image of Gibraltar highlights the densely built urban area, port infrastructure, airport and numerous ships in the surrounding waters. This demonstrates the platform’s capability for applications such as port and airport monitoring and maritime traffic surveillance. The Eaglet II constellation is part of the broader IRIDE programme, Italy’s national Earth observation infrastructure developed under the EU’s National Recovery and Resilience Plan and supported by the European Space Agency.

Like the other 16 satellites in the Eaglet II constellation, each unit carries a multispectral sensor for capturing Earth surface data across multiple wavelengths and an automatic identification system for maritime safety. The IRIDE programme also includes the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) satellites developed by Argotec, which carry high-resolution optical instruments for multispectral imaging.

Norway Details Funding Allocation for Second Andøya Launch Pad

The Norwegian government has allocated NOK 323.3 million (€30 million) in its 2027 state budget for a second orbital launch pad at Andøya Spaceport, as announced by the Minister of Trade and Industry on 30 September. This funding forms part of a total project budget of NOK 646 million, with the remainder expected in the 2028 budget.

Of the 2027 allocation, NOK 223.5 million comes from the Ministry of Defence and NOK 99.5 million from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries. The latter will cover its share by reallocating NOK 73 million in unspent equity funding and NOK 26.5 million from an outstanding regional development grant, originally approved in 2020 for Andøya Spaceport development.

The budget outlines a revised ownership model where the Norwegian state will build and own the spaceport infrastructure, while Andøya Space, a majority state-owned enterprise, will operate the facility and lease the infrastructure from the state. The Norwegian Armed Forces are expected to assume responsibility for securing the area surrounding the spaceport, shifting from current arrangements where Andøya Space handles launch safety and police provide public security.

Previous parliamentary scrutiny has questioned security readiness, with Centre Party MP Bent-Joacim Bentzen raising concerns in October 2025 about police resources and Conservative MP Erlend Larsen questioning enforcement during an attempted Isar Aerospace launch in April 2026. Parliament must still approve the 2027 funding before construction can begin, and final arrangements for managing the new facilities remain to be confirmed.