Italy is preparing to further expand its strategic constellation for Earth observation. The farewell event for the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation – Flight Model 3 (CSG-FM3) satellite, which is about to leave the country to reach the launch base in Vandenberg, California, was held at the Rome headquarters of Thales Alenia Space (joint venture Thales 67%, Leonardo 33%).
The COSMO-SkyMed program, financed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Ministry of Defense, is designed for dual use – civil and military – and is confirmed as among the most advanced in the world, providing crucial data for safety, emergency management and environmental protection in all weather conditions, day and night.
Industrial synergy and Italian leadership
The creation of CSG-FM3 is the result of a public-private synergy involving the entire national industrial chain, led by Leonardo and its joint ventures. In particular:
Thales Alenia Space is responsible for the mission, the system and the implementation of the space segment.
Telespazio built and manages the ground segment and operations.
e-GEOS works for the distribution and valorisation of data on a global level.
Leonardo provides high-precision on-board technologies and systems.
Teodoro Valente, president of the Italian Space Agency, highlighted the strategic value of the imminent launch: “This step is particularly important as it sees the preparation towards the launch pad of the third second generation COSMO-SkyMed satellite. The arrival in orbit, expected in the next few months, will represent a challenging milestone for Earth observation and for the second generation Italian constellation. Italy with the Italian Space Agency thus affirms its global leadership role in this delicate sector which sees the protection and defense of our Planet as its fulcrum.”
Col. Federico Iannone of the Ministry of Defense reiterated the virtuousness of the cooperation: “The COSMO-SkyMed program is one of the most virtuous examples of cooperation between Defence, the Italian Space Agency and national industry. It represents a model of public-private synergy that demonstrates how innovation, research and development can integrate with security and defense needs, generating strategic value for the country”.
Technological innovation for advanced monitoring
The CSG-FM3 satellite introduces further advanced monitoring capabilities thanks to the adoption of new technologies that increase precision, flexibility and efficiency. It features a next-generation radar antenna that can dynamically orient itself to capture different areas more quickly, overcoming the constraints of conventional SAR modes.
The satellite hosts Furthermore, the Laser Retroreflector Array (CORA-S), developed by the INFN, which will allow determining its position in orbit with millimeter accuracy. These characteristics will guarantee the continuity of radar observations between the first and second generations and will enhance the stability analysis capability, crucial for urban, environmental, marine and mining applications.
Giampiero Di Paolo, CEO of Thales Alenia Space Italia, underlined the industrial excellence of the project:
“We welcome with great satisfaction the third satellite of the Second Generation COSMO-SkyMed constellation which will soon depart from our satellite integration center towards the launch site. The COSMO-SkyMed constellation, now in its second generation, represents one of our greatest success stories, which began in 2007. It is proof of Thales Alenia Space’s industrial tradition of excellence based on radar technology and the constant commitment of our teams.”
Lhe mission of the CSG-FM3, as reiterated by Massimo Claudio Comparini (Managing Director of Leonardo’s Space Division), is to strengthen Italy’s strategic position: “We accompany this satellite towards its launch as a new success of COSMO-SkyMed: a program of the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense, an example of Italian excellence in Earth observation technologies, from manufacturing to services and data processing. The constellation is the result of a collaboration between institutions, the scientific community and a broad industrial chain led by Leonardo and the joint ventures Thales Alenia Space, Telespazio and e-GEOS. A system that strengthens the country’s security, sustainability and competitive capacity, projecting Italy among the global leaders in the space sector.”