Busy time for Italy as Cosmo-Skymed launches are ordered and exploration opportunities gathered

by | Apr 6, 2017 | commercial launch services, Launches, Satellites, Seradata News

The next generation of Cosmo-Skymed commercial radar satellites will both be launched by Arianespace; the first on a Soyuz in 2018, followed by the second in 2020 using a upcoming Vega-C rocket. Both of these launches will take place from French Guiana. The launch contract was signed by the Italian space agency, Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI), with Arianespace in early April.

The first Soyuz-launched Cosmo-Skymed mission will also host the ESA (European Space Agency) CHEOPS spacecraft. CHEOPS is a ESA-Swiss venture in the form of a small, high-precision telescope designed to provide further information on exoplanets.

The agency had been considering contracting with US launch provider SpaceX for the launch of one or both Cosmo-Skymed satellites. In the end SpaceX lost out to Arianespace, but did not leave empty handed. It received an agreement for a back-up launch service should there be any issue with getting the first satellite launched on time.

 

Illustration showing Soyuz ST-B. Courtesy: Arianespace

 

ASI, also signed an agreement with SpaceX for the “opportunity for payload transportation to Mars”, most likely in the form of a payload on-board a future Red Dragon mission. This is coupled with the recent signing of an agreement between Italy and China for the framework to future long-term cooperation in the field of manned space exploration.

Matthew Wilson contributed to this article

About Seradata

Seradata produces the renowned Seradata database. Trusted by over 100 of the world’s leading Space organisations, Seradata is a fully queryable database used for market analysis, failure/risk assessment, spectrum analysis and space situational awareness (SSA).

For more information go to https://www.seradata.com/product/

Related Articles

Categories

Archives

Tags

nasaspacexecoreviewsissesaArianespacevideochinaFalcon 9v1.2FT Block 525virgin galacticULAfalcon 9evaRoscosmosspacewalkDGAaviation weekBlue OriginInternational Space StationaresIGTsoyuzRocket LabBeidouawardsStarlinkspaceAirbus DSboeingSatellite broadcastingrussiamoonOneWebISROCargo Return VehiclemarsblogresearchspaceshiptwojaxaorionmarsimpactdelayhyperbolaEutelsatdemocratrocketlunarhypertextobamagoogle lunar prizelaunchVegathales alenia spaceSESconstellationtourismbarack obamafiguresnorthspaceflightIntelsatnode 2fundedRaymond Lygo2009Lockheed MartinExpress MD-2Elon MuskAtlas Vromess2dassault aviationaviationLucy2008wk2sstlukradiosuborbitaltestmissiledocking portexplorationAriane 5 ECAVirgin OrbitinternetSLSLong March 2D/2ElectronNorthrop GrummanChina Manned Space Engineeringsts-122Ariane 5missile defensenewspapercotsgalileospace tourismflight2010Long March 4CspaceportExpress AMU 1buildspace stationaltairsoyuz 2-1aProton Minternational astronautical congressshuttlespace shuttleAriane 6scaled compositesIntelsat 23European Space AgencyLauncherOneCosmoshanleybudgetrulesnew yorkatvVietnamshenzhoucongressMojaveboldennew shepardLong March 2CInmarsatOrbital ATKcnesiaclunar landerGuiana Space CenterApollolawsUS Air ForceSpace Systems/LoralUK Space AgencyLong March 4BKuaizhou 1AkscILSprotondarpaTalulah RileyElectron KSFalcon 9v1.2 Block 5Vega CNorth KoreaeuSkylonAstriumpicturebaseusaastronautdragonlanderfiveeventTelesatSSLAprilSNC50thinterviewLong MarchSea LaunchfalconWednesdaycustomerlinkatlantissuccessor

Stay Informed with Seradata

Stay informed on the latest news, insights, and more from Seradata by signing up for our newsletter.