- July 29, 2008
- Posted by: EARSC
- Category: Archive
“The company, with main offices in Rome and Matera, aims at being the global leader in the geospatial information sector, offering integrated application solutions, contents and services, based on radar data (SAR) and high resolution optical data (VHr)”, explained an Italian Space Agency spokesperson.
Cosmo-SkyMed is the earth observation satellite system created by the Italian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defence with Telespazio managing the earth segment, in other words the segment controlling the orbiting satellites and the processing of data. The satellites were produced by Thales Alenia Space Italia and conceived with a dual purpose, a military one with surveillance applications and a civil one for the needs of institutional clients.
“Important proof of the efficiency of the Cosmo-SkyMed system was seen during the devastating earthquake in the Sichuan region of China last May 12th”- explained an ASI spokesperson. On May 13th, upon a request by the Chinese government, the Cosmo-SkyMed satellites recorded the first radar images of the area around the city of Guan Xian, one of the closest to the epicentre of the earthquake, giving proof, as it had during the catastrophe in Myanmar, of the ability of the satellite to operate in crisis areas with an extraordinary short response time.
