SpaceX launches Italian Earth-observing satellite to orbit on the 1st mission of 2026
Space••general
Key Points:
- SpaceX launched the first mission of 2026 on January 2, deploying an Italian Earth-observing satellite aboard a Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.
- The rocket's first stage successfully landed back at Vandenberg after its 21st flight, while the second stage deployed the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite into low Earth orbit.
- The satellite, operated by the Italian Space Agency and Ministry of Defence, uses synthetic aperture radar to monitor Earth continuously for emergency prevention, scientific research, and various commercial applications.
- This launch marks the third COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite to be deployed, following previous launches in 2019 and 2022.
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