Delayed Mission Secures New Launch Date by SpaceX for Italian Space Agency
SpaceX targets a Friday Falcon 9 launch from Vandenberg carrying Italy's COSMO-SkyMed, the West Coast's first 2026 launch.
After a series of delays, SpaceX has announced a confirmed new launch date for its COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation mission, a project developed in collaboration with the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defense. The launch is now scheduled for Friday at 6:09 p.m. from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking the first launch of 2026 from the West Coast facility.
The mission, which aims to deploy an advanced Earth observation satellite, experienced multiple postponements over the past week. Initially set for Saturday, the launch was rescheduled for Sunday before being delayed again. According to SpaceX, additional time was needed to conduct thorough ground system checkouts prior to liftoff.
The COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite is designed to serve both civilian and military purposes, providing detailed Earth observation capabilities. Once launched, the Falcon 9 rocket used for the mission is expected to successfully return its first stage to Landing Zone 4 at Vandenberg. SpaceX has confirmed that this will be the 21st flight for this particular first-stage booster, which will likely create a sonic boom heard in nearby communities as it lands.
"Friday’s planned Falcon 9 liftoff at 6:09 p.m. will mark the first launch of 2026 from the West Coast base", the article noted, highlighting the significance of this mission as the starting point of the new year’s West Coast space activity.
SpaceX’s ambitious launch schedule has continued to dominate operations at Vandenberg, accounting for nearly 85% of all launches from the base in 2025. The company successfully completed a record-breaking 165 Falcon launches and five Starship test flights across the United States in 2025 alone.
A live webcast of the launch will begin approximately 15 minutes before liftoff, allowing viewers to watch the event in real time.
With this mission, SpaceX continues to demonstrate its leadership in the aerospace industry while supporting international partnerships like this one with Italy. The successful deployment of the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite will further enhance Earth observation capabilities for a variety of critical applications.
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