Italian Radar Net Now in Full Operation
The Italian defense ministry has issued first images from its Cosmo-SkyMed 4 radar imaging spacecraft, and announced that the four-satellite constellation has reached its full operating capability.
The images, showing a view of Washington, D.C., was acquired by the Italian space agency’s Matera Space Center after the satellite reached final orbit. The spacecraft was launched on Nov. 5 from Vandenberg AFB, Calif., atop a Boeing Delta II rocket .
The full system is capable of supplying 1,800 all weather images/day and is said to have a spatial resolution better than 70 cm.
[Editor’s note: see Aviation Week & Space Technology on Nov. 15, p. 48]