{"id":9655,"date":"2025-12-27T18:29:33","date_gmt":"2025-12-27T10:29:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wp-productionenv-bjg9h2g2bgg5b8aa.southeastasia-01.azurewebsites.net\/news\/launch-pad-issue-delays-again-falcon-9-launch-of-italian-earth-observation-satellite\/"},"modified":"2025-12-27T18:29:33","modified_gmt":"2025-12-27T10:29:33","slug":"launch-pad-issue-delays-again-falcon-9-launch-of-italian-earth-observation-satellite","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/news\/launch-pad-issue-delays-again-falcon-9-launch-of-italian-earth-observation-satellite\/","title":{"rendered":"Launch pad issue delays again Falcon 9 launch of Italian Earth observation satellite"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>Update Dec. 28, 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC):<\/strong> SpaceX has announced a further delay. No new launch date set.<br \/>\n<strong>Update Dec. 27, 8:56 p.m. EST (0156 UTC):<\/strong> SpaceX scrubbed the launch Saturday due to a ground issue, targeting Sunday, Dec. 28.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_72006\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-72006\" style=\"width: 678px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251228-CSG_FM3-Sunset.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"451\" class=\"size-full wp-image-72006\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251228-CSG_FM3-Sunset.jpg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251228-CSG_FM3-Sunset-300x200.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-72006\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">A Falcon 9 rocket on the launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base for the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM-3 mission. Image: SpaceX.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>SpaceX delayed its final planned Falcon 9 flight of the year for a second night running due to a launch pad issue at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTo allow more time to perform ground system checkouts, standing down from today\u2019s launch of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation mission,\u201d SpaceX said in a social media post. \u201cA new target launch date will be shared once confirmed.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>FAA flight restrictions indicate the launch had slipped to a least Tuesday evening. The originally planned Saturday night liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4E was scrubbed due to a hydraulic problem with the launch pad\u2019s hold-down clamps.<\/p>\n<p>The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 (CSG-FM3) satellite nestled in the rocket\u2019s payload fairing is an Earth observation satellite that serves dual purposes for the civilian and military sectors of the Italian government.<\/p>\n<p>Spaceflight Now will have live coverage beginning about 30 minutes prior to liftoff.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/6_0BDH2QK7M?si=ae_1FJgNWwqfzERz\" width=\"678\" height=\"381\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>SpaceX will launch the mission on Falcon 9 booster tail number, 1081. This will be its 21st flight after launching missions including Crew-7, PACE and TRACERS, all for NASA.<\/p>\n<p>Nearly 8.5 minutes after liftoff, B1081 will target a touchdown at Landing Zone 4. If successful, this will be the 31st landing at that site in total and the 554th Falcon booster landing to date.<\/p>\n<p>The CSG-FM3 satellite will be deployed roughly 17 minutes after leaving the launch pad.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_71980\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71980\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-71980\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_Cosmo_Sky_Med_FM_3.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"600\" height=\"600\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_Cosmo_Sky_Med_FM_3.png 600w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_Cosmo_Sky_Med_FM_3-300x300.png 300w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_Cosmo_Sky_Med_FM_3-150x150.png 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-71980\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">An artist\u2019s rendering of the mission patch for the Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 mission. Graphic: SpaceX<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>CSG-FM3 is the third in this series of Earth observation satellites managed both by the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n<p>The first of these satellites launched in January 2021 on a Soyuz rocket from French Guiana and the second a year later on a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.<\/p>\n<p>A total of four satellites, manufactured by Thales Alenia Space, are planned for constellation.<\/p>\n<p><iframe id=\"twitter-widget-0\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" allowtransparency=\"true\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" class=\"\" style=\"position: static; visibility: visible; width: 0px; height: 0px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;\" title=\"X Post\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/embed\/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-0&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1338879642271424514&amp;lang=en&amp;maxWidth=560px&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fspaceflightnow.com%2F2025%2F12%2F27%2Flive-coverage-spacex-to-launch-italian-earth-observation-satellite-on-final-falcon-9-flight-of-2025%2F&amp;sessionId=87626f5130e177919ee0bc0745e8ba2981e73d76&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=6a3ad42b224df%3A1778106238597&amp;width=550px\" data-tweet-id=\"1338879642271424514\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-media-max-width=\"560\" data-twitter-extracted-i1782461530303150217=\"true\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" lang=\"en\">Designed to meet the requirements of both commercial &amp; institutional customers, COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation dual-use system is a crown jewel in @Thales_Alenia_S \u2018s fleet of #radar observation satellites. Check-out this stunning <img decoding=\"async\" draggable=\"false\" role=\"img\" class=\"emoji\" alt=\"\ud83d\udcf9\" src=\"https:\/\/s.w.org\/images\/core\/emoji\/17.0.2\/svg\/1f4f9.svg\"> for more info. @ASI_spazio @MinisteroDifesa pic.twitter.com\/rZ9zAymSBl<\/p>\n<p>\u2014 Thales Alenia Space (@Thales_Alenia_S) December 15, 2020<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async=\"\" src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p>The spacecraft are equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) that operates in the X-band, which can penetrate clouds and capture imagery in darkness. They operate in a Sun-synchronous polar orbit inclined at 97.87 degrees to the equator. The satellite\u2019s data is made publicly available through the European Space Agency\u2019s (ESA) Third Party Missions Programme.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cCosmo-SkyMed Second Generation\u2019s purpose is to monitor the Earth for the sake of emergency prevention, strategy, scientific and commercial purposes, providing data on a global scale to support a variety of applications among which risk management, cartography, forest &amp; environment protection, natural resources exploration, land management, defense and security, maritime surveillance, food &amp; agriculture management,\u201d ESA said in a statement.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_71979\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-71979\" style=\"width: 678px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-71979\" src=\"http:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_COSMO-SkyMed_SG_FM3.jpeg\" alt=\"\" width=\"678\" height=\"558\" srcset=\"https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_COSMO-SkyMed_SG_FM3.jpeg 678w, https:\/\/spaceflightnow.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/20251226_COSMO-SkyMed_SG_FM3-300x247.jpeg 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 678px) 100vw, 678px\"><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-71979\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 satellite undergoes testing ahead of its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Image: Ministry of Defense<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Update Dec. 28, 8 p.m. EST (0100 UTC): SpaceX has announced a further delay. No new launch date set. Update Dec. 27, 8:56 p.m. EST (0156 UTC): SpaceX scrubbed the launch Saturday due to a ground issue, targeting Sunday, Dec. 28. A Falcon 9 rocket on the launch pad at Vandenberg Space Force Base for [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[871,479,872,873,316],"class_list":["post-9655","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news","tag-cosmo-skymed","tag-falcon-9","tag-italian-ministry-of-defense","tag-italian-space-agency","tag-spacex"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9655"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=9655"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/9655\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=9655"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=9655"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=9655"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}