Icarus Returns To Space

System of global wildlife tracking resumes after three-year pause

To the Point

• Back in orbit: Icarus will be installed on board the Gena-OT satellite, set to launch on 11 November by German launch integrator Exolaunch as part of SpaceX's Transporter-15 mission aboard Falcon 9. The latest launch status will be updated on the SpaceX site.
• Flying on a CubeSat: The Icarus receiver, developed by the company Talos, is on board the Gena-OT satellite, a research satellite belonging to the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, which was built by the Munich-based company OroraTech.
• Mission starts after test phase: After a three-month testing phase in orbit, Icarus will resume satellite-based tracking of animals worldwide.

After a three-year pause, Icarus, the pioneering project that tracks wildlife from space, is set to resume operations. On 11 November 2025, a rocket is scheduled to carry a satellite equipped with the Icarus receiver into space-opening a new chapter in the study of animal observation. The latest launch status will be updated on the SpaceX site.

During the first three months in orbit, the system will undergo extensive testing. Once operational, Icarus will establish a continuous link with miniature sensors on animals across the globe, enabling scientists to monitor the locations, behavior, health, and environmental conditions of species ranging from migratory birds and bats to sea turtles and large mammals. For the first time, Icarus will offer full global coverage-a critical leap forward in understanding biodiversity, ecosystem health, and the impact of climate change.

For Icarus , the 11 November launch is only the beginning: a second receiver will follow in 2026, carried by an independent satellite from the Max Planck Society and the space company Talos. Additional satellites are already in the planning stage. Together, they will form Icarus 2.0, a constellation designed to deliver more frequent and higher-resolution data faster than ever before.

"With Icarus 2.0, we are building a truly planetary-scale observatory," said Martin Wikelski, Director at the Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior. "For the first time, we will be able to listen to the signals of animals worldwide in near real time, offering unique insights on biodiversity and environmental change."

From ISS to CubeSat

Icarus first took flight in 2020 as a technological experiment aboard the International Space Station. An antenna on the station collected signals from lightweight sensors attached to animals, providing unprecedented insights into migration routes, breeding behaviors, and survival strategies. The project quickly proved its value: in its first year, Icarus delivered datasets on dozens of species worldwide.

However, the war on Ukraine in 2022 brought the Icarus collaboration with Russia to an abrupt end. Icarus paused operations. For the team behind the project, this pause became an opportunity to reimagine the technology from the ground up.

Working with the Munich-based NewSpace company Talos, engineers miniaturized the Icarus system into a ten-centimeter payload that can fly on a tiny satellite known as a CubeSat. Compared to the ISS-based prototype, the new receiver consumes one tenth the energy, reads four times as many sensors, and enables faster data downloads and remote software updates. It was successfully tested in an experimental orbital flight in 2023.

"What once required a massive antenna on the International Space Station now fits into the palm of a hand," says Gregor Langer, CEO of Talos.

First receiver in orbit

The space mission was made possible by a collaboration between Icarus and the Seranis research mission of the University of the Bundeswehr Munich. Seranis is funded by the European Union - NextGenerationEU at the Bundeswehr Centre for Digitalisation and Technology Research. With a budget of approximately €70 million and a fleet of small satellites serving as a "laboratory in orbit", Seranis is one of Germany's largest university space programs. The new Icarus receiver is flying on the Gena-OT CubeSat. The satellite is a platform developed by the Munich-based company OroraTech. The mission was funded by the German Aerospace Centre.

"We are delighted to have Icarus in our orbital laboratory," says Andreas Knopp, spokesperson for the Space Research Centre at the University of the Bundeswehr and head of the Seranis program. "We have been happy to provide technological support for Martin Wikelski's groundbreaking work from the very beginning, and have learned a great deal ourselves in our scientific cooperation. We are convinced that Germany should derive much more benefit from projects of this kind."

After a three-month test phase at an altitude of around 500 kilometers, Icarus will begin two-way communication: miniature sensors attached to animals will begin transmitting high-precision GPS data to the satellite, which will in turn relay it back to researchers on Earth. This bi-directional function also means that scientists can remotely reprogram sensors without having to remove them from animals.

ICARUS 2.0: a new chapter in wildlife tracking

The second receiver has already been built and is scheduled to launch into space aboard a SpaceX mission in 2026. Independently operated by Talos and the Max Planck Society, and funded by the National Geographic Society, this satellite will double the frequency of Icarus data collection.

By mid 2027, a constellation of six Icarus receivers is expected to be operational, creating an array that guarantees continuous functionality and delivers near real-time information on animal movements. This improved coverage will allow scientists to monitor animals' well-being with unprecedented accuracy, detect disease outbreaks at their earliest stages, and anticipate ecological shifts that affect both wildlife and humans.

"This capability radically increases the speed with which we can respond to global challenges such as habitat loss, disease outbreaks, and shifting migration patterns," says Wikelski, who is also a professor at the University of Konstanz.

Complementing the new receivers are a suite of next-generation animal tags currently under development. According to Gregor Langer from Talos, which is the company developing the tags, "Icarus tags will be among the lightest, smallest, and most energy-efficient sensors on the market." These tiny, ultra-light sensors will not only record location data but also temperature, humidity, air pressure, and acceleration. Thanks to sophisticated on-board data pre-processing, they will give researchers a holistic view of animal health and behavior within their environments.

A global tool for big challenges

At a time when biodiversity loss and climate change are accelerating, Icarus 2.0 represents a vital tool for science and conservation. The project is now embedded within the Animal Movement Biodiversity Observation Network (Move BON). By linking Icarus data to Move BON, the signals collected from tagged animals can be translated into indicators of ecosystem health, migratory connectivity, and species resilience. These indicators feed directly into global biodiversity monitoring frameworks and help guide decision-makers, ensuring that the movements of animals inform strategies to protect habitats, mitigate climate impacts, and safeguard species at risk.

Adds Wikelski: "From predicting the spread of zoonotic diseases to tracking the survival of endangered species, Icarus offers insights that will shape policies, guide conservation strategies, and deepen our understanding of the interconnectedness of life on Earth."