[Satellite Today 04-17-09] Space Exploration Technologies (SpaceX) signed an agreement with Argentina’s National Commission on Space Activity (CONAE), for two launches aboard SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket, SpaceX announced April 16.
    The flights will send the Saocom 1A and 1B Earth observation satellites into sun-synchronous orbits, with a mission to provide imagery for natural resources monitoring, as well as emergency and disaster management.
    The two satellites will join four X-band SAR Cosmo-SkyMed satellites from the Italian Space Agency, creating the Italian-Argentine System of Satellites for Emergency Management constellation.
    The first three of the ASI satellites were launched in 2007 and 2008 with the fourth expected to fly in 2010.