COSMO-SkyMed 1st Gen

COnstellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation

Mission Profile

COSMO-SkyMed 1st Generation is an Italian dual-use Earth observation radar satellite constellation operated by the Italian Space Agency and Ministry of Defense, launched beginning in June 2007 aboard Delta II rockets. The four-satellite constellation operates in X-band synthetic aperture radar mode, providing day-and-night, all-weather high-resolution imaging at 1-meter resolution for defense intelligence, environmental monitoring, disaster response, and maritime surveillance. COSMO-SkyMed's interferometric SAR capability enables detection of ground deformation at centimeter precision, supporting earthquake and volcanic hazard monitoring. The constellation has been succeeded by the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation (CSG) satellites launched from 2019, providing enhanced performance and extended mission continuity.