Watch the Launch

Additional Media

Live: SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches from California with Earth observation satellite for Italy

Watch live coverage as SpaceX launches a Falcon 9 rocket from California carrying the Cosmo-SkyMed 2nd Generation Earth observation satellite for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence. Liftoff from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. PST (9:09 …

COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Mission

Livestream on X

SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft. The company was founded in 2002 to revolutionize space technology, with the ultimate goal of enabling people to live on other planets.

CSG-3

Circle Image

Overview

Destination: Sun-Synchronous Orbit
Mission: Earth Science

Sun-Synchronous Orbit Space Launch Complex 4E Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA
B1081 - Landing Zone 4

CSG-3 is an Earth observation satellite for the Italian Space Agency, part of a reconnaissance constellation using synthetic aperture radars operating in the X-band.

Telemetry

Launch trajectory and telemetry simulations provided by Flight Club - a rocket launch simulator and orbital trajectory visualiser for all things space!

Updates


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 3, 2026, 2:25 a.m.

Spacecraft separation.


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 3, 2026, 2:09 a.m.

Liftoff.


LL2 • Jan. 3, 2026, 1:50 a.m.

Unofficial Re-stream by SPACE AFFAIRS has started


Cosmic_Penguin • Jan. 2, 2026, 4:48 p.m.

Tweaked T-0.


Falcon 9

Family:
Configuration: Block 5

Falcon 9 is a two-stage rocket designed and manufactured by SpaceX for the reliable and safe transport of satellites and the Dragon spacecraft into orbit. The Block 5 variant is the fifth major interval aimed at improving upon the ability for rapid reusability.

See Details
Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    70.0 m
  • Diameter
    3.65 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    5.2 m
  • Launch Mass
    549.0 T
  • Thrust
    7607.0 kN
Family
  • Name
    Falcon 9
  • Family
  • Variant
    Block 5
  • Alias
  • Full Name
    Falcon 9 Block 5
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $52000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    22800.0 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    8300.0 kg
  • Direct Geostationary
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity

Booster Info


B1081

Status: Active


Type: Core
Flight Proven: Yes
First Flight: August 26, 2023
Last Flight: May 6, 2026
Flights: 24
Landings Attempted: 24
Landings Successful: 24
Previous B1081 Flights

Landing Information

The Falcon 9 first stage B1081 has landed on Landing Zone 4 after its 21st flight.

Result: Successful Return to Launch Site landing at Landing Zone 4.

SpaceX

SpaceX

(SpX)

CEO: Elon Musk Founded: 2002 Successes: 663 Failures: 15 Pending: 123

Agency Type:

Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX, is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. It was founded in 2002 by entrepreneur Elon Musk with the goal of reducing space transportation costs and enabling the colonization of Mars. SpaceX operates from many pads, on the East Coast of the US they operate from SLC-40 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and historic LC-39A at Kennedy Space Center. They also operate from SLC-4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, usually for polar launches. Another launch site is being developed at Boca Chica, Texas.

INFO WIKI

Related News

SpaceDaily

Third COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation radar satellite enters service ramp-up

Paris, France (SPX) Jan 06, 2026 The third satellite in the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation radar constellation has been launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California on a SpaceX Falcon 9 for the Italian Space Agency and the …

SpaceNews

SpaceX launches next second-generation Italian COSMO-SkyMed satellite

MILAN – A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket lifting off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, successfully launched a second-generation satellite for Italy’s COSMO-SkyMed Earth observation constellation, on Jan. 2 at 6:09 p.m. Pacific time.…

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: Worldwide launch manifest quiet as 2026 begins

As 2025 turns to 2026, the worldwide launch manifest is quieting down, with only four… The post Launch Roundup: Worldwide launch manifest quiet as 2026 begins appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Spaceflight Now

Live coverage: SpaceX opens 2026 with launch of Cosmo-SkyMed Earth observation satellite for Italy

The spacecraft was originally slated to launch nearly a week prior, but SpaceX ran into ground systems issues. Liftoff from pad 4E at Vandenberg Space Force Base is scheduled for 6:09 p.m. PST (9:09 p.m. EST / 0209 UTC).

NASASpaceflight

Launch Roundup: International launches fill manifest during last full week of 2025

The last full week of 2025 will be a busy one, with nine launches scheduled… The post Launch Roundup: International launches fill manifest during last full week of 2025 appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Space Launch Complex 4E


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 11 hours ago
Starlink Group 17-42
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Vega-C
Success
3 days, 10 hours ago
Solar wind Magnetosphere Ionosphere Link Explorer (SMILE)
Ariane Launch Area 1 (ELV) - Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Joint mission between the European Space Agency and the Chinese Academy of Sciences to investigate the interaction between Earth’s protective shield …


Long March 8
Success
4 days, 23 hours ago
SpaceSail Polar Group #9
Commercial LC-1 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 16 hours ago
Dragon CRS-2 SpX-34
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

34th commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commer…


Kinetica 1
Success
1 week ago
5 satellites
Launch Area 130 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Share-ride of 5 satellites to sun-synchronous orbit: * Taijing-3-05A/B * Tianyi-50 * Tianyan-27 * Jilin-1 HR-03D-55


Zhuque-2E Block 2
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Mass Simulator
Launch Area 96A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

2.8 tonnes Mass Simulator launched to a 900 km polar orbit on a test flight proving further upgrades to the ZQ-2E, including a longer 1st stage and e…


Long March 6A
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
SpaceSail Polar Group #8
Launch Complex 9A - Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

18 Low Earth Orbit communication satellites with Ku, Q and V band payloads for the G60 constellation operated by Shanghai Spacesail Technologies with…


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
NROL-172
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

Thirteenth batch of satellites for a reconnaissance satellite constellation built by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman for the National Reconnaissance Offi…


Long March 7
Success
1 week, 4 days ago
Tianzhou-10
201 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Ninth cargo delivery mission to the Chinese space station.


Falcon 9
Success
2 weeks, 2 days ago
Starlink Group 17-29
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.