[Cool!] COSMO SkyMed-4 Scheduled for Weekend Launch

Source: Boeing - Friday, October 29, 2010
What: Boeing is launching the fourth satellite in an Italian Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO) SkyMed for Thales Alenia Space

Where: Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif.

When: Saturday, Oct. 31, 2010 at 7:20 p.m. Pacific Time

(Saturday, Oct. 31, 2010? - AZA)
VANDENBERG AIR FORCE BASE, Calif., Oct. 28, 2010 - Boeing [NYSE: BA] announces that the commercial launch of the COSMO SkyMed-4 satellite for Thales Alenia Space is scheduled for Oct. 31 aboard a Delta II rocket. The rocket launch, originally scheduled for Oct. 29, has been delayed 48-hours due to propellant issues.

Thales Alenia Space developed the COSMO-SkyMed program for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence. It is an end-to-end Earth observation, dual-use (civil and military) system comprised of four medium-sized satellites and supporting ground stations for orbit control systems and data reception and processing. The system will take imagery of the Earth using an X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument capable of operating in all visibility conditions at the request of institutional and commercial users, including members of the civil, scientific and defense communities.

Boeing Launch Services procured the launch vehicle and associated support services from United Launch Alliance. A Delta II 7920-10 configuration launch vehicle is expected to deploy the COSMO SkyMed-4 spacecraft approximately 58 minutes after liftoff.


Boeing will broadcast the launch coverage throughout the continental United States at:

Satellite: AMC 1
Transponder: K18
Orbital Location: 103 Degrees West
Uplink Frequency: 14360 MHz Horizontal
Downlink Frequency: 12060 MHz Vertical
Bandwidth: 36 MHz (Ku Band)
On launch day, bars and tone will begin at 6:00 p.m. PT. The broadcast gets underway at 6:15 p.m., PT and ends at 8:30 p.m. PT.

A one-hour test signal will be broadcast Oct. 28, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m., PT. The test will include bars, tone and an identifying slate. Prior to the scheduled test, media should verify their receiving equipment is capable of receiving Ku-band signals.

Boeing will webcast the launch coverage on the following site:

B Hunter