Delta launches Italian satellite
Posted: Sun, Dec 9, 2007, 9:47 AM ET (1447 GMT)
A Delta 2 successfully launched an Italian remote sensing satellite on Saturday evening after several days of delays. The Delta 2 7420-10 lifted off during its one-second launch window at 9:31 pm EST Saturday (0231 GMT Sunday) and placed the COSMO-SkyMed 2 satellite into Sun-synchronous orbit. The launch had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was delayed by poor weather, which also postponed a Friday launch; Thursday's launch was scrubbed to repair insulation on the launch vehicle. COSMO-SkyMed 2 is the second in a series of four radar imagery satellites built by Thales Alenia Space for the Italian space agency ASI and the Italian Ministry of Defense. The first satellite was launched in June, also on a Delta 2 from Vandenberg. The third COSMO-SkyMed satellite will also be launched on a Delta 2, in the second half of 2008. The fourth COSMO-SkyMed satellite will be launched in 2009; no launch contract for that mission has been announced.
A Delta 2 successfully launched an Italian remote sensing satellite on Saturday evening after several days of delays. The Delta 2 7420-10 lifted off during its one-second launch window at 9:31 pm EST Saturday (0231 GMT Sunday) and placed the COSMO-SkyMed 2 satellite into Sun-synchronous orbit. The launch had originally been scheduled for Wednesday but was delayed by poor weather, which also postponed a Friday launch; Thursday's launch was scrubbed to repair insulation on the launch vehicle. COSMO-SkyMed 2 is the second in a series of four radar imagery satellites built by Thales Alenia Space for the Italian space agency ASI and the Italian Ministry of Defense. The first satellite was launched in June, also on a Delta 2 from Vandenberg. The third COSMO-SkyMed satellite will also be launched on a Delta 2, in the second half of 2008. The fourth COSMO-SkyMed satellite will be launched in 2009; no launch contract for that mission has been announced.
Related Links:
| <<previous article | next article>> |
|
news in brief
|
|
|
|
news links
|
|
Saturday, July 4
Coolest spacecraft ever in orbit around L2
ESA — 4:24 am ET (0824 GMT) Moonwalker Aldrin says we should colonise Mars
The Herald — 4:23 am ET (0823 GMT) Interest in space memorabilia takes a leap
Financial Times — 4:22 am ET (0822 GMT) Evidence mounts that Mars was once habitable
Arizona Republic — 4:17 am ET (0817 GMT) First Moon images sent back by Nasa orbiter show incredible details just 10ft across
The Daily Mail — 4:17 am ET (0817 GMT) |