Thales Alenia Space Italia is responsible for the entire system and the production of the two satellites, while Telespazio is responsible for the development of the ground segment and the integrated operations logistics.
The 182 M€ provided by the new agreement, of which 154 million will go to Thales Alenia Space and 28 million to Telespazio, will guarantee the continuation of the activities. In particular it will ensure the launch of Phase C4/D1, which concerns the completion of the entire system’s detailed design, as well as the construction of the on-board component and the related ground infrastructure (ground segment, operations and logistics).
The development of COSMO-SkyMed's Second Generation will determine a veritable leap in terms of technology, performance and service life of the system, and as a result it will enhance the Italian global leadership in the field of Earth Observation. The key strategic international partnerships, like those already in place with France and Poland, will also be expanded.
To ensure the continuity of the services provided by COSMO-SkyMed First Generation, currently in full operation, the two new satellites will have to be operational by the first half of 2019, and this will require providing the final funding of the programme by early 2016.