Liftoff Time

No Earlier Than December, 2025

Mission Details

CSG-3

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. For the second generation, the COSMO-SkyMed constellation has been reduced from four to two spacecraft. The satellites are improved versions of the original design. They utilize an improved version of the Prima Bus. The CSG-SAR (COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Synthetic Aperture Radar) is also an improved version of the first-generation X-band SAR system. The contract was signed in September 2015. The satellites will operate in the same circular sun-synchronous dawn-dusk orbit as the first-generation satellites with a nominal altitude of 619 km and an inclination of 97.86º. The satellites operate in the same orbital plane.

Sun-Synchronous Orbit

1 Payload

2,230 kilograms

Rocket

Active
Vega C

Active Since 2022

European Space Agency logo

Manufacturer

ESA

Rocket

Diameter: 3.4m

Height: 35m

Payload to Orbit

LEO: 2,300 kg

Liftoff Thrust

4,500 Kilonewtons

Fairing

Diameter: 3.3m

Height: 9m

Stages

4

Launch Site

ELV

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana, France

Fastest Turnaround

75 days