Iride NOX Mission
Launching this fall
IRIDE-NOX is one of the Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) missions within IRIDE, Italy’s national Earth Observation program developed under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (PNRR) and coordinated by ESA in partnership with ASI. The mission is led by D-Orbit as the Mission Prime and satellite system integrator, while MetaSensing serves as the Payload Prime Contractor, providing the StarSAR-X X-band SAR payload and the associated payload ground segment. The mission delivers high-resolution, all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation data to support applications including infrastructure monitoring, environmental surveillance, disaster management, and national security.
The StarSAR-X Structural Test Model undergoes vibration testing at satellite level, verifying the payload’s structural integrity under launch-representative mechanical loads.
Update 07
Deployment test of the StarSAR-X antenna system, validating the mechanical release and unfolding sequence ahead of integration
Update 06
Deployment test milestone, confirming repeatability and reliability of the antenna’s unfolding mechanism.
Update 05
The Multi-Layer Insulation (MLI) blanket is fitted and prepared for thermal testing, protecting the payload from the extreme temperature variations of the space environment.
Update 04
The payload undergoes Thermal Vacuum testing, simulating the vacuum and temperature extremes of orbit to verify performance and survivability in space conditions.
Update 03
The SAR antenna’s SLI is prepared for functional and performance testing ahead of integration.
Update 02
The SAS (SAR Antenna Subsystem) Engineering Model completes assembly, marking a key development milestone ahead of qualification testing.