On January 3, 2026, at 04:09 Latvian time, the SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicle was launched from the Vandenberg Space Force Base.
The launch was carried out on behalf of the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense of Italy. A radar Earth observation satellite was delivered into orbit. This launch became the very first orbital launch in the world in the new year.
The first stage of the Falcon 9 rocket returned to the platform 8.5 minutes after liftoff. Even earlier — 4.5 minutes after the launch — the Italian Earth observation satellite COSMO-SkyMed second generation (CSG-FM3) separated from the second stage of the rocket. It became the third in the constellation. The altitude of the satellite's orbit will be 620 km.
The first two satellites were launched into space by the Russian Soyuz in 2019 and Falcon 9 in 2022.
The COSMO-SkyMed second generation satellites are designed for Earth remote sensing using synthetic aperture radar (SAR). This technology allows for obtaining images of the planet's surface regardless of the time of day and weather conditions. The data obtained is used for monitoring natural disasters, agricultural control, cartography, as well as for national security and defense purposes.
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