Recently OHB Italia S.p.A. presented an insightful technical paper entitled “IRIDE EAGLET-II LEOP: A New Operational Paradigm for Constellation Operations”, sharing the experience and lessons learned from the Launch and Early Orbit Phase (#LEOP) of the first eight satellites of the IRIDE EAGLET-II constellation.
The paper highlights a significant milestone for OHB Italia S.p.A.: the first mission entirely operated from our proprietary Mission Control Centre (#MCC) in Rome, demonstrating our capability to manage complex multi-satellite operations while introducing new operational approaches for next-generation Earth Observation constellations.
As prime contractor for the #EAGLET II constellation, OHB Italia successfully managed the #launch and early orbit operations of eight satellites simultaneously, guiding the entire fleet to its nominal configuration through approximately 50 ground contacts and enabling the start of commissioning activities in less than three days.
The achievement was made possible through:
🔹 Extensive simulation campaigns and system validation activities
🔹 Rigorous preparation of operational procedures and contingency plans
🔹 A dedicated Mission Control Centre designed to support current and future constellation operations
🔹 Strong collaboration between Flight Operations, Flight Dynamics, Ground Segment and System Engineering teams
🔹 A continuous improvement approach based on lessons learned and operational agility
The experience gained during the first LEOP enabled significant process optimisation, leading to even greater efficiency during subsequent operations and demonstrating the importance of preparation, teamwork and operational excellence in the era of large-scale satellite constellations.
IRIDE is growing, as of today sixteen satellites are fully operational in orbit: OHB Italia keeps adopting innovative mission operations concepts and delivering reliable, efficient and scalable solutions for the future of Earth Observation from space.
