{"id":476247,"date":"2025-12-28T03:13:14","date_gmt":"2025-12-28T03:13:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/476247\/"},"modified":"2025-12-28T03:13:14","modified_gmt":"2025-12-28T03:13:14","slug":"spacex-scrubs-launch-italian-earth-observation-satellite-due-to-ground-systems-issue-spaceflight-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/476247\/","title":{"rendered":"SpaceX scrubs launch Italian Earth observation satellite due to ground systems issue \u2013 Spaceflight Now"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 satellite undergoes testing ahead of its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Image: Ministry of Defense<\/p>\n

Update Dec. 27, 5:56 p.m. EST (2256 UTC): SpaceX scrubbed the launch due to a ground issue, targeting Sunday, Dec. 28.<\/strong><\/p>\n

SpaceX was preparing for its final Falcon 9 flight of the year, but had to scrub the mission due to a ground systems issue at its launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.<\/p>\n

When it launches, the 70-meter-tall rocket will carry an Earth observation satellite for Italy to low Earth orbit.<\/p>\n

The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 (CSG-FM3) satellite nestled in the rocket\u2019s payload fairing is an Earth observation satellite that serves dual purposes for the civilian and military sectors of the Italian government.<\/p>\n

Liftoff is scheduled from Space Launch Complex 4 East (SLC-4E) at 6:08 p.m. PST (9:08 p.m. EST \/ 0208 UTC). A new launch date and time haven\u2019t been announced yet by SpaceX.<\/p>\n

Spaceflight Now will have live coverage beginning about 30 minutes prior to liftoff.<\/p>\n

\ufeff<\/p>\n

SpaceX will launch the mission on Falcon 9 booster tail number, 1081. This will be its 21st flight after launching missions including Crew-7, PACE and TRACERS, all for NASA.<\/p>\n

Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1081 will target a touchdown at Landing Zone 4. If successful, this will be the 31st landing at that site in total and the 554th Falcon booster landing to date.<\/p>\n

The CSG-FM3 satellite will be deployed roughly 17 minutes after leaving the launch pad.<\/p>\n

\"\"An artist\u2019s rendering of the mission patch for the Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 mission. Graphic: SpaceX<\/p>\n

CSG-FM3 is the third in this series of Earth observation satellites managed both by the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n

The first of these satellites launched in January 2021 on a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana and the second a year later on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n

A total of four satellites, manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, are planned for constellation.<\/p>\n

\n

Designed to meet the requirements of both commercial & institutional customers, COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation dual-use system is a crown jewel in @Thales_Alenia_S<\/a> \u2018s fleet of #radar<\/a> observation satellites. Check-out this stunning \ud83d\udcf9 for more info. @ASI_spazio<\/a> @MinisteroDifesa<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/rZ9zAymSBl<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Thales Alenia Space (@Thales_Alenia_S) December 15, 2020<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The spacecraft are equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operates in the X-band, which can penetrate clouds and capture imagery in darkness. They operate in a Sun-synchronous polar orbit inclined at 97.87 degrees to the equator. The satellite\u2019s data is made publicly available through the European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) Third Party Missions Programme.<\/p>\n

\u201cCosmo-SkyMed Second Generation\u2019s purpose is to monitor the Earth for the sake of emergency prevention, strategy, scientific and commercial purposes, providing data on a global scale to support a variety of applications among which risk management, cartography, forest & environment protection, natural resources exploration, land management, defense and security, maritime surveillance, food & agriculture management,\u201d ESA said in a statement.<\/p>\n

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