BackForward Satellite Programme: COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of 2 satellites for SAR observation.
  • Follow-on of COSMO-SkyMed.  COSMO = Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation.  Improved payload and designed lifetime.
  • Italian programme: ASI responsible of development and operations. Dual-use (civilian-military) programme.  Coordinated with the CONAE SAOCOM programme through the SIASGE (Sistema Italo Argentino de Satélites para la Gestión de Emergencias) agreement, and the CNES Pléiades programme through the ORFEO (Optical and Radar Federated Earth Observation) agreement.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 7 years.
  • The satellites exploit sunsynchronous dawn-dusk orbits at 6:00.
  • The 2 satellites are launched at short time intervals, to fly in formation (dephased by 180°) for larger composite swath, interferometry and redundancy.
  • Detailed description not officially available.
Data circulation
  • Data transmission is in real-time and, for selected data, after onboard storage, to a network of X-band stations coordinated as CREDO (Centro Ricezione ed Elaborazione Dati Operativi).
  • Data management for civilian use is performed by a User Ground Segment in Matera (C-UGS); for military use by a D-UGS at Pratica di Mare (Rome).
Agencies ASI
Programme lifetime 2019 - 2028
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned