Ukraine, because the Cosmo-SkyMed system makes the difference
Satellite images significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian military. Cosmo-SkyMed, the constellation of radar satellites for Earth observation managed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Ministry of Defense contributes to this scenario
The war in Ukraine is the latest demonstration of the role of satellite images: they significantly strengthen the capabilities of the Ukrainian military when it comes to gaining situational awareness.
"The operations that the Kiev army is carrying out are also allowed, if not above all, thanks to the intelligent support provided by the Western world, which often makes use of satellite systems or aerial systems", General Vincenzo Camporini explains to Corriere della Sera , former Chief of Staff of the Italian Defense.
This scenario includes Cosmo-SkyMed, the constellation of radar satellites for Earth observation managed by the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and the Ministry of Defence. “We have a system called Cosmo-SkyMed and it obtains radar images of the surface of the ground with a very interesting definition”, continues Camporini. "The number is clearly subject to confidentiality rules, but let's say that many things are seen, even very small ones".
Its satellites are eyes capable of scanning the Earth from space meter by meter, day and night, in all weather conditions. They help predict landslides and floods, coordinate relief efforts in the event of earthquakes or fires, and control crisis areas from above. The system is based on a constellation of satellites equipped with synthetic aperture radar (SAR) working in the X-band (therefore able to see through clouds and in the absence of sunlight).
All the details.
WHAT IS THE COSMO-SKYMED CONSTELLATION
The Cosmo-SkyMed Earth observation satellite system is the first to be created for dual purposes, civil and military, capable of observing our planet both day and night, in all weather conditions.
Following the launch of the first satellite of the constellation on 7 June 2007, the Cosmo-SkyMed system reached completion on 5 November 2010 (6/11 in Italy) with the launch of the fourth and last satellite, from the US base of Vanderberg, in California.
THE SECOND GENERATION
On 18 January 2021, Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation became operational with the first of four planned satellites, and has gone alongside the four first generation ones. Last year, the second Second Generation Cosmo-SkyMed satellite ( CSG ) also became operational, further strengthening Italy's consolidated role and contribution in the field of Earth Observation .
The CSG (Cosmo Skymed Second Generation) program with 2 satellites (PFM / FM2) was financed with resources from the Defense and ASI, with the aim of equipping the education/research and military sectors with a new system for observation of the Earth, now in its final phase. In the near future, first generation satellites will be deorbited as new generation satellites are put into orbit.
With the innovations of the second generation, Cosmo-SkyMed becomes the first Sar (Synthetic Aperture Radar) space system in the world. That is, capable of simultaneously acquiring two images of two areas hundreds of kilometers away from each other and therefore of serving two requests that would have been in conflict for any other satellite system.
“It sees through the clouds because it is a Sar system, i.e. a synthetic aperture radar, not a brand new technology, used for many years: there are radar images that follow one another as the satellites move and are integrated with each other other in such a way as to have a global vision”, clarifies General Camporini. "Instead of having a 50-centimeter antenna, it's like having one of 500 kilometers: it's a very smart technology that has been developed with great care in Italy".
FUNCTIONS
The data acquired by the CSG2 satellite are made available to users by the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defence.
For the ASI, the high agility of the system, combined with a generational leap in technological terms, allows a considerable expansion of the possible applications which include the security and surveillance of territories and the prevention and analysis of calamitous events due to natural or anthropogenic.
"It is a particularly performing national system, better than other European systems, and I must say that the results obtained so far have been very effective," Camporini told Corriere . “There are many satellites for reconnaissance in flight, from various countries, with various capabilities both in the optical field and in the field of the various frequency bands. Above all, a system like ours has the ability to generate images at night, and this makes it a 24-hour system”.
THE CONTRIBUTION OF THALES ALENIA SPACE
The contribution of national industry, with the Leonardo group , to the development of this strategic infrastructure is fundamental.
In particular, Thales Alenia Space, a joint venture between Thales (67%) and Leonardo (33%) is responsible for the design and development of the four CSG satellites and for the end-to-end system design, integration and commissioning .
The two new satellites, produced by TAS, will complete the constellation and the full operational capacity of the radar observation services.
AND THAT OF TELESPACE
Telespazio, a joint venture between Leonardo (67%) and Thales (33%) is responsible for the Ground Segment. Including aspects of security, and the provision of integrated logistics services and operations.
WHAT E-GEOS (TELESPAZIO-ASI) DOES
The Cosmo-SkyMed constellation is capable of acquiring up to 1800 images a day which Leonardo receives, processes and markets all over the world via e-Geos.
E-Geos, a company set up by Telespazio (80%) and ASI (20%), is in fact responsible for the marketing of Cosmo-SkyMed products and services.
WHAT LEONARDO PROVIDES TO THE COSMO-SKYMED PROGRAM
Lastly, Leonardo contributes to the program by supplying star attitude sensors for satellite orientation, photovoltaic panels and electronic units for electric power management.
This is a machine translation from Italian language of a post published on Start Magazine at the URL https://www.startmag.it/innovazione/ucraina-perche-il-sistema-cosmo-skymed-fa-la-differenza/ on Mon, 30 Jan 2023 14:36:23 +0000.