[Satellite TODAY 12-17-10] Italy’s Cosmo-SkyMed constellation is complete and fully operational after the system’s fourth satellite began sending images to ground stations, the Italian Space Agency announced Dec. 16.
    Cosmo SkyMed-4, the final satellite of the end-to-end Earth observation constellation, was launched in November from Vandenberg Air Force Base and deployed in low-Earth orbit.
    Thales Alenia Space developed the civil and military Cosmo-SkyMed program for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense. The system will take images of the Earth using an X-band synthetic aperture radar instrument capable of operating in all visibility conditions.