Before they begin observing Earth from space, the Atlantic Constellation’s satellites already have a story to tell: the story of how they received their names. In November 2025, Spain’s Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities launched the Name a Satellite school competition through the Spanish Space Agency (AEE). The initiative invited students from public primary and secondary schools to propose names for the observation constellation’s satellites.

Seven months later, the Ministry revealed the winning entries: Nereida17, Lince, Orbiterra, Convive, Nerpio, Albor, Ecocentinela and Castellví. They were selected based on their connection to the Atlantic Constellation’s objectives and criteria including originality, gender balance and territorial representation.

According to the Ministry, the selection process sought to “build a shared narrative reflecting the constellation’s values.” Some of the names, such as Nereida17 and Castellví, are associated with understanding and protecting the oceans. The former draws inspiration from the Nereids, mythological beings from ancient Greece, and the United Nations’ 17 Sustainable Development Goals, while the latter pays tribute to oceanographer Josefina Castellví. The remaining names relate to subjects such as biodiversity, the night sky, environmental protection and cooperation.

Minister of Science, Innovation and Universities Diana Morant highlighted the project’s importance, saying that it had allowed young people to “leave their mark” through a scientific initiative that “will help protect the environment, improve emergency response and deepen our understanding of the planet on which we live.” The AEE is expected to organize an event honoring the winning students.

The eight newly named satellites constitute the Spanish half of the Atlantic Constellation, a program being developed jointly with Portugal to strengthen Europe’s Earth-observation capabilities. It has a budget of €30 million and is led by the AEE in collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA).

The constellation, which aims to complement the Copernicus system by increasing revisit frequency to every two or three hours, has just completed its Critical Design Review and is preparing to advance to the construction phase. The system will provide essential data for preventing and managing floods, wildfires, droughts and heat waves. According to the minister, it will help “improve our ability to respond to emergencies.”

Source: Info Espacial