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SpaceX Opens 2026 With Falcon 9 Launch of Italian COSMO-SkyMed Satellite
SpaceX launched Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Earth-observation satellite into orbit on Falcon 9, highlighting strong international demand for commercial launches.
SpaceX kicked off 2026 by launching a COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation radar Earth observation satellite into low Earth orbit from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California for the Italian Space Agency and Italy’s Ministry of Defence. The Falcon 9 booster successfully delivered the payload about 4.5 minutes after liftoff, marking one of the first major space missions of the year. The mission underscores continued demand for commercial launch capacity and international government partnerships.