CSG-1 (COSMO-SkyMed 2nd Gen.)

Launch data: Designation  44873 / 19092A Launch date  18 Dec 2019 - 08:54 UTC Launch site  CSG, ELS Launch vehicle  Soyuz-ST-A/Fregat-M Mission  Earth observing, X-band radar Sun-synchronous Earth orbit: Perigee / Apogee  622 x 623 km Eccentricity   Inclination  97.8° Period  97.2 min

The satellite architecture in deployed configuration (Credit: TAS-I)

Spacecraft data:

Description:

• COSMO-SkyMed second generation (Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin observation) or CSG is an Earth observation program of the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to replace the first generation COSMO-SkyMed system.

Mission details:

• On Dec 18, 2019 Arianespace launched a Soyuz ST-A/Fregat from the Centre Spatial Guyanais to place several satellites in sun-synchronous orbit.
  The Soyuz third stage reached a -3189 x 608 km x 92.0 deg suborbital trajectory; the Fregat stage then fired to reach a 625 x 649 km x 97.8 deg orbit and deployed CSG-1, its primary payload, at 0917 UTC.
• CSG-1, the first COSMO-Skymed Second Generation satellite, is an X-band radar satellite for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense built by Thales Alenia/Torino.

External links:

• EOportal.org Satellite description
• Satellite tracking (n2ya.com): Real time satellite tracking