Thirteen European satellites hitched a single ride to space on Sunday, 3 May, launching from California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. The payload included the first national satellite system built specifically to detect and track wildfires, a world first for Greece.
The launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base at 09:00 CEST carried satellites for two countries and three distinct missions. Seven satellites joined Italy's IRIDE Earth observation programme, four formed Greece's new Hellenic Fire System, and two CubeSats will test satellite connectivity for Greece's Hellenic Space Dawn mission.
Seven more eyes in the sky for Italy's IRIDE constellation
The seven satellites added to the Hawk for Earth Observation (HEO) constellation expand Italy's IRIDE programme, a national mission initiated by the Italian government and coordinated by the European Space Agency (ESA) with support from the Italian Space Agency (ASI). IRIDE is funded through Italy's National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR), a post-pandemic economic modernisation effort. These satellites carry multispectral, high-resolution optical instruments that capture image data across multiple wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. That data will help public authorities monitor coastal areas and other terrain.
Greece's first satellite system for spotting wildfires
Four Hellenic Fire System satellites reached orbit for Greece, marking what ESA called a world first for a national satellite capability dedicated to wildfire detection and tracking. The system was developed through collaboration between the Greek government, industry, and ESA. Simonetta Cheli, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programmes, described it as a powerful example of turning innovation into operational capability through European cooperation. The two additional CubeSats launched for Greece under the Hellenic Space Dawn mission will test satellite links and optical data transmission in space, advancing next-generation connectivity technologies.
What this launch means for European space ambitions
The rideshare launch demonstrates how European countries are pooling resources and working with commercial providers to get sovereign satellites into orbit faster and more affordably. Italy gains more monitoring capacity for its national Earth observation programme, while Greece now has its own dedicated space-based fire detection system. The CubeSats testing optical communications could help pave the way for resilient, high-performance satellite networks that strengthen national autonomy in space. ESA's Laurent Jaffart, Director of Resilience, Navigation and Connectivity, noted that the agency is helping partners mature technologies that will underpin member states' competitiveness in space. All 13 satellites successfully reached orbit.
