The Canary Islands begin a new stage in the surveillance and protection of their territory. with the launch of the Canary Islands Constellation, an ambitious project that plans to place eight small satellites into orbit to monitor the western islands of Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera, and El Hierro on a daily basis. This initiative, led by the Tenerife Island Council and the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics (IAC), represents a decisive commitment to space development and to providing the archipelago with advanced tools for resource management, early detection of emergencies and the study of the natural environment.
The constellation is scheduled to be launched by the end of 2028., with an approximate investment of 20 millones de eurosThe goal is clear: to make the Canary Islands a benchmark in space observation, enabling anticipation of phenomena such as forest fires, spills, extreme weather events, and the spread of climate change. Furthermore, this technological network represents a Pioneering collaboration between scientific and academic institutions and public administration, placing the islands at the forefront of innovation.
Satellites at the service of the territory and citizens
La Canary Islands Constellation aims to collect information on fundamental aspects of daily life in the Archipelago. The satellites will operate in three spectral bands: shortwave infrared, visible, and thermal. This diversity will allow, among other applications, optimize agricultural planning thanks to tailored irrigation recommendations or assessing the state of local vegetation. But the usefulness goes much further, serving to detect fires, analyze coastal discharges, monitor possible episodes of irregular immigration and even respond quickly to phenomena such as volcanic eruptions.
The system will be integrated into the Intelligent Emergency Management System (SIGE) of the Tenerife Island Council, which combines information captured via satellite with ground-based sensors and real-time data analysis to improve the ability to respond to any incidentIn this way, the Canary Islands are among the regions best prepared to respond to environmental threats, providing an example of how space technology can directly benefit society.
According to the IAC, the Constellation will monitor the western islands daily and will progressively expand its coverage. The satellites will pass over the area of ​​interest at least once a day, ensuring updated and useful information for both the administration and farmers, scientists and emergency teams.
The DRAGO-3 cameras, developed in the Canary Islands, represent one of the most notable advances of the project.These cameras have been designed to capture high-resolution images in the infrared spectrum, a capability especially useful for identifying water stress in crops or detecting subtle changes in vegetation and soil. In addition, DRAGO technology It has proven to be efficient and compact, allowing its installation on small platforms without losing observation quality.
A technological and scientific boost for the Canary Islands
The project has involved prominent figures from the aerospace and scientific sectors, such as Cecilia Hernández, Director of Programs and Industry at the Spanish Space Agency, and astronaut and molecular biologist Sara GarcÃa, who emphasized the importance of the Canary Islands investing in its own technological development that meets the real needs of the region. In Sara GarcÃa's words, "Look to space to take care of the Earth" summarizes the program's philosophy and highlights the cooperation between local scientific talent and institutional support to bring these advances into everyday life.
The president of the Tenerife Island Council, Rosa Dávila, believes that the deployment of these satellites represents a unprecedented leap for the region, improving decision-making capacity and sustainable land management. In turn, the director of the IAC, ValentÃn MartÃnez-Pillet, has highlighted that the Transfer of knowledge from the field of astrophysics to agriculture, security and environmental research It is an example of how science impacts social well-being.
This initiative also promotes the diversification of the island economy, promoting the creation of skilled jobs and attracting investment. It also responds to the New Space trend, which focuses on the development of more agile and affordable space technology aimed at solving specific problems in each region or country.
Technical details and strategic collaborations
Each satellite in the network will operate at altitudes between 450 and 700 kilometers, weigh between 20 and 30 kilograms, and will complete up to 20.000 orbits during its lifetime. The constellation will be deployed in two phases, beginning in the first quarter of 2028 and concluding six months later, ensuring effective and scalable coverage.
The DRAGO-3 camera offers a resolution of 10 meters per pixel and will feature improvements over its predecessors, such as new spectral bands and a modular design that makes it easy to upgrade and adapt to future needs. The sun-synchronous system in which they will orbit will allow them to always pass over the same areas at the same solar time, which is ideal for evaluating changes over time.
The project's development has involved the participation of leading entities and experts, including the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics, the Tenerife Island Council, the Spanish Space Agency, the Canary Islands Government, the University of La Laguna, and other scientific organizations. This network of alliances is key to ensuring both technical viability and a positive impact on the region's economic and social fabric.
Through Canary Islands Constellation, the Archipelago is taking a step forward in space research and the application of Earth observation technologies, consolidating its position as a national and international benchmark in innovation for the environment and territorial management. Collaboration between the scientific community, institutions, and the local business community has allowed this ambitious plan, conceived in the Canary Islands, to become a tangible reality with a direct impact on citizens' quality of life.