The Balearic Islands are about to take a major step in the field of space technology with the launch of their first satellite, called “Posidònia”. This innovative satellite manufactured by the company Open Cosmos will be launched into orbit in February 2026 to provide valuable information about the Balearic territory.
The Posidonia satellite weighs 80 kilograms and measures 50 x 100 centimetres.
Its useful life is estimated at three years, although it has enough fuel to operate for up to five or six years.
This satellite will orbit the Earth at an altitude of 600 kilometres in a solar-synchronous orbit, meaning it will pass over the Balearic Islands at the same time every day, providing constant and precise coverage.
Posidònia’s main instrument is its multispectral camera, which has a field of view of 10 kilometers and is capable of capturing up to 70 images per second.
This powerful tool will enable the acquisition of high-quality images that will be crucial for various applications, from environmental monitoring to the analysis of changes in the territory.
Once Posidònia completes its useful life cycle, the satellite will descend from its orbit and disintegrate in a controlled manner upon entering the atmosphere, minimising its environmental impact.
Posidònia is a marine plant endemic to the Mediterranean that plays a crucial role in protecting the marine and coastal ecosystem, absorbing CO2 and creating habitats for various species, as well as regenerating sand. Its presence in the Balearic Islands symbolises the connection between local nature and sustainability, inspiring the name of the first Balearic satellite.
With the launch of “Posidònia”, the Islands are not only advancing in the development of space technology, but are also positioning themselves as a benchmark in the use of innovation for the benefit of science and the environment.
The “Posidònia” satellite aims to provide data on Balearic architecture to study the effects of climate change and economic activities, especially tourism.
One of the tasks of this satellite will be to support the “transition towards more sustainable models”, according to Open Cosmos. The aim is to improve the management of the tourist saturation of certain destinations, developing solutions to address the climatic and economic challenges of the Balearic Islands.
The satellite’s images and data will be crucial for managing the territory, critical infrastructures, and improving the response to emergencies. It will provide administrations, research centres and companies with key information to make more strategic decisions in different areas.
This project is supported by European funds from the Government of the Balearic Islands, and the collaboration of Wireless DNA S.L., the University of the Balearic Islands (UIB), Garden Hotels, and the Federació Empresarial Hotelera de Mallorca (FEHM).
Posidonia: The first step towards a constellation of satellites
This satellite is just the first in a series of dozens of satellites that Open Cosmos plans to launch into space.
These satellites will form a sensor constellation that will greatly expand observation and monitoring capabilities from space, generating hundreds of Terabytes (TB) of data daily. Analyzing this data will require a huge scientific effort and a computational challenge, but the results are well worth it. As Sheldon Cooper would say, “Science is like a train without brakes that takes you to an unknown destination. The important thing is to enjoy the ride!”
