At the end of December 2025, SpaceX prepared one of its last scheduled missions of the year — the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California aboard a Falcon 9 rocket. The mission, organized in partnership with the Italian Space Agency (ASI) and Italy’s Ministry of Defense, was set to carry the COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation Flight Model 3 (CSG-FM3) Earth-observation satellite, a radar imaging platform designed to provide high-resolution synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) data for civilian, scientific, environmental, and security applications.
In the buildup to liftoff, SpaceX crews had the Falcon 9 vertical at Space Launch Complex 4E, with the Italian radar satellite integrated into the payload fairing and ready for flight. But just before the planned event, teams encountered a ground system issue at the launch pad, forcing a stand-down from the original attempt and requiring troubleshooting before proceeding. According to SpaceX and ASI announcements, the rocket and payload remained in healthy condition amid the delay, but engineers needed additional time to perform checks on ground support equipment before confirming a new launch date.
Originally slated to be the company’s final Falcon 9 mission of 2025, multiple attempts to launch the Italian satellite were scrubbed due to this technical glitch. SpaceX initially targeted a Sunday evening liftoff at 6:08 p.m. PT from Vandenberg after the first delay, but further checks were deemed necessary, and the exact revised launch date had not yet been officially announced at the time of reporting.
The COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation constellation enhances Italy’s radar Earth-observation capabilities with all-weather imaging that can see through clouds and at night, supporting risk management, environmental protection, maritime surveillance, and defense. The delayed CSG-FM3 satellite is the third in this upgraded series and plays an important role in ensuring continuity of the radar constellation.
Delays due to ground-system hardware or pad infrastructure checks are not uncommon in rocket launches, which require highly precise timing, coordination, and functional validation of both vehicle and support systems. SpaceX has emphasized that the rocket and satellite remain in good shape while the pad issue is resolved, and the company intends to share the new launch date once it is confirmed.
With the year’s launch manifest rapidly approaching a close, this mission represents both an important scientific and commercial event — and a reminder of the complexity behind modern orbital operations. As teams continue the final preparations, SpaceX watchers and satellite observers alike await confirmation of the rescheduled liftoff for this Italian Earth-observation platform.
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