Orfeo Programme

The ORFEO programme was an agreement between France and Italy about coordinating Earth [observation satellite|Earth observation satellites] development and use. The countries agreed to implement co-operation for setting up an Earth observation capability using optical and radar sensors, and to define the context in which the dual-purpose system was to be developed and used. It was composed of 6 high-resolution satellites: 4 COSMO-SkyMed X-band satellites from Italy, and 2 Pléiades optical satellites from France. The agreement was signed on 29 January 2001 in Turin.