ST. LOUIS, June 1— Boeing [NYSE: BA] announced that the first commercial launch of the Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation (COSMO) SkyMed for Italy is scheduled for June 7 aboard a Delta II rocket.

The launch will take place from Pad SLC-2W at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California (VAFB), with a launch window that extends from 7:21 p.m. PDT to 7:34 p.m. PDT.

The COSMO-SkyMed program was developed by Thales Alenia Space Italia for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence. It is an end-to-end Earth observation dual-use (civil and military) system composed of four medium-sized satellites and supporting ground stations for orbit control systems and data reception and processing. The system will take imagery of the Earth using an X-Band Synthetic Aperture Radar instrument at the request of institutional and commercial users, including members of the defense, civil and scientific communities.

Boeing Launch Services procured the launch vehicle and associated support services from the United Launch Alliance. A Delta II 7420-10 configuration launch vehicle will be used to deploy the COSMO-SkyMed spacecraft to low earth orbit approximately 58 minutes after liftoff.

Notes to Media:

The Air Force is hosting a pre-launch press conference on June 6 at 3:45 p.m. PDT at the Pacific Coast Club on Vandenberg Air Force Base. For media accreditation or remote cameras at the launch pad, contact SSgt. Raymond Hoy at 805-606-3595.

Press conference dial-in numbers: 203-418-3123 (USA), + 39-02-3600-6013 (Italy), +44-20-3043-2495 (UK). Use passcode 7180266 #.

Media attending the launch must meet at the parking lot located at the Main Gate of VAFB by 6:15 p.m. PDT on June 7.

Updated information is available on the Boeing Launch Hotline (714) 896-4770.

Boeing will broadcast the launch throughout the continental United States at:

  • Satellite: AMC 2 K01
  • Orbital Location: 85 Degrees West
  • Downlink Frequency: 11720.00 MHz Vertical 36 MHz
  • Audio: Channel 1 English and Channel 2 Italian

The broadcast will begin at 36 minutes prior to the opening of the launch window, and will end 71 minutes after liftoff.

A 60-minute test signal will be broadcast on June 6 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. PDT. The test will include bars, tone and an identifying slate.

Boeing will webcast the launch at: http://www.boeing.com/news/feature/livewebcast/bls_webcast.html A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world’s largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32.4 billion business with 72,000 employees worldwide.

Contacts:

Susan Wells
The Boeing Company
Communications
321- 446-4970
susan.h.wells@boeing.com

Lewis Brinson
The Boeing Company
International Communications
206-898-9521
lewis.b.brinson@boeing.com