COSMO - SkyMed COSMO - SkyMed ( COnstellation of small Satellites for the Mediterranean basin Observation ) is an Earth observation satellite system funded by the Italian Ministry of Research and Ministry of Defence and conducted by the Italian Space Agency ( ASI ) , intended for both military and civilian use . The space segment of the system includes four identical medium - sized satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar ( SAR ) sensors with global coverage of the planet . Observations of an area of interest can be repeated several times a day in all - weather conditions . The imagery will be applied to defense and security assurance in Italy and other countries , seismic hazard analysis , environmental disaster monitoring , and agricultural mapping . Space segment . The four satellites are in sun - synchronous polar orbit s with a 97 . 9° inclination at a nominal altitude of 619 km and an orbital period of 97 . 2 minutes . The local time ascending node at the equator is 0600 . The expected operating life of each satellite is estimated to be 5 years . Each satellite repeats the same ground track on the Earth every 16 days and all of the satellites follow the same ground track . They cross the equator at 6 AM and 6 PM local - time each day . The satellites are phased in the same orbital plane , with COSMO - SkyMed ' s 1 , 2 and 4 at 90° to each other and COSMO - SkyMed 3 at 67 . 5° from COSMO - SkyMed 2 . This results in varied intervals between the satellites along the same ground track of between 1 and 15 days . The sun - synchronous orbit is used to keep the solar cells illuminated at all times . The satellites ' main components are : The radar antenna is a phased array that is 1 . 4 m wide x 5 . 7 m long . The system is capable of both single - and dual - polarization collection . The center frequency is 9 . 6 GHz with a maximum radar bandwidth of 400 MHz . Launch . United Launch Alliance is providing launch services for the first three satellites . Satellite processing for the first two satellites was handled by the Astrotech Space Operations subsidiary of SPACEHAB . The first satellite was launched at 22 : 34 GMT , on 8 June 2007 , aboard a Delta II 7420 - 10 rocket from Vandenberg AFB . An identical rocket launched COSMO - 2 at 02 : 31 : 42 GMT on 9 December 2007 , the launch having been delayed from 6 December due to bad weather , and problems with the rocket ' s cork insulation . COSMO - 3 launched at 02 : 38 GMT on 25 October 2008 , also aboard a Delta II 7420 - 10 . A Delta II flying in the 7420 - 10 configuration will also be used to launch COSMO - 4 . Launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base on November 5 , 2010 at 1920L . Ground segment . The ground segment of the system is composed of : The Argentinian and the French governments are involved respectively in the civil and military segments of the system . SAR Capabilities . The COSMO - SkyMed satellites have three basic types of imaging modes : There are two Spotlight modes : There are two Stripmap modes : There are two ScanSAR modes : The system is sized to collect up to 450 images per satellite per day . Commercialization . eGEOS , S . p . A . has the exclusive world - wide commercial rights to sell COSMO - SkyMed data and products . Flares . The COSMO - SkyMed satellites are lesser - known deliverers of satellite flare s , sometimes approaching magnitude - 2 . Although overshadowed by the Iridium satellites , the flares are often long - lasting , with the satellites traversing much of the sky at brighter - than - average magnitudes .