The COSMO-SkyMed constellation of ASI and the Ministry of Defense is preparing to welcome the new Second Generation satellites, which will guarantee an incredible generational leap in terms of technology, performance and operational life in Earth observation thanks to the contribution by Leonardo.
Leonardo in fact holds several crucial roles for the mission: not only does it provide essential tools for the life of the satellite, but through the subsidiary Telespazio (67% Leonardo, 33% Thales) it controls its commissioning and, through e-GEOS (Telespazio / ASI), markets satellite images worldwide.
In particular, for COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation, Leonardo supplies photovoltaic panels (Photo-Voltaic Assembly, PVA) in carbon fiber, 8 per satellite - each satellite has two wings of 4 panels - with about 5000 solar cells. The sunlight absorbed by the panels is then transformed into energy, which in turn is managed and distributed thanks to complex electronic units. Specifically, it is the Power Control & Distribution Unit (PCDU), which controls and distributes energy after having carefully divided the power and voltage; the SAR Power Distribution Unit (SPDU), which powers the synthetic aperture radar antenna; the Tile Power Supply Unit (TPSU) which supplies energy to the individual active elements of the radar. Among the control units, Leonardo also produced the Control Momentum Gyro (CU) board to maneuver the satellite quickly and easily, by managing the attitude sensors.
Even the stellar attitude sensors have been designed and produced by Leonardo. Each satellite has on board 2 Star Tracker (A-STR) sensors that help guide and orient the satellite in space. In fact, the “star sensor”, observing the position and brightness of the stars present in its field of view and comparing the resulting image with a stellar catalog in memory, elaborates the directional coordinates that the attitude control system (AOCS) uses for appropriate orbital maneuvers.
From the Fucino Space Center (Abruzzo), Leonardo, through Telespazio, will manage the launch of the COSMO-SkyMed satellite from the new LEOP hall (Launch and Early Orbit Phase) recently inaugurated on December 13, with the latest technologies and devices.
COSMO-SkyMed data is then marketed worldwide by e-GEOS, a joint venture between Telespazio (80%) and ASI (20%).
Main elements of the Second Generation system
- High agility satellite platform, with avionic subsystem and new generation GPS receiver; very high performance SAR payload; on-board data management; high speed transmission from the onboard sensor to the ground station
- Expandable, interoperable, multimission-multisensor Earth segment, distributed on several sites also outside the national territory, with mission planning capabilities capable of maximizing the use of the system for diversified users and operational needs, equipped with very high performance SAR data processors
- Logistic-operational segment capable of effectively and efficiently managing the entire system, guaranteeing particularly reduced flexibility and response times in the event of emergencies.
Second Generation: performance at the highest level
- Spatial resolution of radar images
- Transmission speed of observation data on the ground
- Satellite capacity, in terms of number of images, data volume managed on board
- Polarizations available for shooting images
- Double processing capacity on the ground compared to the first generation
- Maximum operational flexibility in mission management.
INFORMATION ON COSMO-SKYMED
COSMO-SkyMed is the only dual use constellation in the world for Earth observation that has changed the way we view our planet. Satellites provide critical information for the safety and understanding of phenomena that affect our everyday lives. Capable of observing the phenomena of the planet in any weather condition, thanks to its radar technologies, the COSMO-SkyMed images have been used to support the populations hit by natural disasters such as earthquakes and cyclones, but also to control the cultural heritage of the sites UNESCO, the monitoring of the receding of the glaciers, that of the oil spill in the seas and for the optimization of agricultural techniques.
The development of the Second Generation of the system will guarantee the continuity of the services provided so far by satellites and the first-generation ground segment and will provide new application possibilities, with particular reference to risk management and damage assessment in the context of natural and man-made disasters .
After the launch of the first Second Generation satellite, a second satellite will be launched next year.
Funded by the Italian Space Agency, the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Education, University and Research, the COSMO-SkyMed system is the fruit and expression of the best skills of the Italian space industry, with Leonardo and its joint ventures Thales Alenia Space and Telespazio, assisted by a significant number of Small and Medium Enterprises. In particular, Thales Alenia Space (Thales 67%, Leonardo 33%) is the prime contractor company, responsible for the entire system, while Telespazio (Leonardo 67%, Thales 33%) built the ground segment and hosts the center of command and control of the constellation.