[10-10-07 – Satellite Today] The Boeing Company has launched the second of four COSMO satellites, the company announced Dec. 8.
    The Italian Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO) 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 and scientific, and defense communities.
    Lift-off occurred at 6:31 p.m. Pacific time from Pad SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. A Delta II 7420-10 configuration launch vehicle procured from United Launch Alliance deployed the COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft to low-Earth orbit approximately 58 minutes after liftoff.