WASHINGTON : The company said its Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, carrying the 1,700-kilogram Cosmo-SkyMed satellite on behalf of the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense.
According to the launch details, the rocket’s first stage returned safely to land at Vandenberg approximately 8.5 minutes after liftoff, while the second stage continued its ascent and successfully deployed the satellite into low Earth orbit about four and a half minutes later.
The Cosmo-SkyMed satellite is designed to observe the Earth using advanced synthetic aperture radar technology. It will support a wide range of applications, including emergency prevention, risk and disaster management, mapping, forest and environmental protection, and the provision of large-scale data to serve global civil and defense needs.
SpaceX successfully launched the Cosmo-SkyMed satellite for the Italian Space Agency and Ministry of Defense using its Falcon 9 rocket. The satellite, equipped with advanced radar technology, will aid in emergency prevention, disaster management, and environmental protection. The rocket's first stage returned safely, while the second stage deployed the satellite into low Earth orbit.