We have liftoff for our first Scout mission, HydroGNSS — what a moment to witness! The two twin HydroGNSS satellites were carried into orbit at about 19:44 CET aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket, as part of the Transporter-15 rideshare flight. HydroGNSS is the first mission developed within the European Space Agency - ESA’s Scout framework, part of FutureEO. Compact yet powerful, it will investigate key indicators of Earth’s water cycle from space. Using Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) reflectometry, the mission will measure hydrology‑related climate variables such as: • Soil moisture • Freeze–thaw state over permafrost • Inundation and wetlands • Above‑ground biomass. The mission consists of two microsatellites, each carrying a GNSS reflectometry instrument, flying in orbits about 550 km high and 180° apart. Developed by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL), HydroGNSS is now on its way — and we’re eagerly awaiting its first signal. The SpaceX Transporter‑15 rideshare mission also carries the next batch of Italy’s IRIDE Spazio satellites (Eaglet‑II) and two ICEYE satellites for Greece. Both of these national missions have been developed with the active involvement of ESA, showcasing the strong collaboration with our Member States. 📹 Credits: SpaceX