The first private Italian satellites, Megsats were microsatellites designed to transmit scientific and commercial data.

MegSat-0 was the first private Italian satellite. Built by MegSat, the Space Division within the Meggiorin group of Brescia, it was a cube-shaped microsatellite technological demonstrator, with a 45 cm side and a 34 Kg weight. From its 580-Km / 51° inclination orbit it transmitted scientific and commercial data. The project engineers introduced a number of innovative systems providing improved speed, quality of acquisition, and management of data. MegSat-0 demonstrated full autonomous management of its microsatellites design from its own ground station in Brescia.

In 2000 the second craft, MegSat-1 weighing more than 50 Kg, was to be launched to a height of 1,000km in a near polar orbit with a 81° inclination.

Italian entrepreneur Meggiorin initially invested 5 million Euro to develop the MegSat microsatellites within the laboratories of Meggiorin group in Brescia. MegSat concentrated on lightening and simplifying systems on board and on the ground, so to remarkably reduce program time and managing costs, and to offer final users a profitable and cost effective service. MegSats were designed to provide for environmental monitoring, by means of surface terminals with an autonomous telecommunication systems working on solar power, and for remote reading and managing of utility meters (gas, water, electrical power, heat etc.).

Typical orbit: 544 x 603 km at 48.4 deg. Length: 0.40 m (1.31 ft). Maximum Diameter: 0.40 m (1.31 ft). Mass: 35 kg (77 lb). Associated Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M, R-36M2.

• 1999 April 28 - Megsat-0 - Launch Site: Kapustin Yar. Launch Vehicle: Kosmos 11K65M. Mass: 35 kg (77 lb). Perigee: 544 km (338 mi). Apogee: 597 km (370 mi). Inclination: 48.50 deg.

  A small technology satellite which carried an experimental high rate data transmission payload.

• 2000 September 26 - MegSat-1 - Launch Site: Baikonur. Launch Vehicle: R-36M2. Mass: 50 kg (110 lb). Perigee: 643 km (399 mi). Apogee: 649 km (403 mi). Inclination: 64.56 deg. Period: 97.56 min.

  Research satellite owned and built by MegSat Space Division, part of the Gruppo Meggiorin companies in Brescia, Italy.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Report (Internet Newsletter), Harvard University, Weekly, 1989 to Present. Essential internet newsletter recording worldwide weekly space events. Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• NASA/GSFC Orbital Information Group Website, . Accessed at: http://oig1.gsfc.nasa.gov/.

• Space-Launcher.com, Orbital Report News Agency. Accessed at: http://www.orbireport.com/Log.html.