SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket to launch Italian satellite on Jan 29; here's how to watch live

SpaceX is preparing to launch an Italian-made Earth-observation satellite, which will lift off from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on January 29. The COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation (CSG-2) FM2 will be launched aboard the Falcon 9 rocket at 4:41 am (IST) and is part of the Cosmo-SkyMed Second Generation program funded by the Italian Space Agency. The launch was initially targeted for January 28 around the same time but was delayed due to unfavourable weather conditions. 

"Due to unfavorable weather, now targeting Friday, January 28 at 6:11 p.m. EST for launch of COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation FM2", SpaceX wrote in its tweet earlier today. In a previous tweet, the company had informed that the weather was 60% favourable before the liftoff ended up getting postponed. SpaceX will stream the launch live 15 to 20 minutes before liftoff on its official YouTube channel and Twitter handle. 

However, the U.S. Space Force Delta 45 forecast says that similar conditions with thick clouds and upper-level wind are possible which might turn into a cause of concern, Space.com reported. The CSG-2 program, is also funded by Italy's Ministry of Defense and Ministry of Education, Universities and Scientific Research and the satellites designed under this program observe Earth using a technology called the synthetic aperture radar (SAR). 

"COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation['s] purpose is to monitor the Earth for the sake of emergency prevention, strategy, scientific and commercial purposes, providing data on a global scale to support a variety of applications", the European Space Agency had written in the program's description, Space.com reports. These applications reportedly include risk management, cartography, forest and environment protection, natural resources exploration, land management, defense and security, maritime surveillance, and food and agriculture management.

SpaceX's 2022 schedule

The company has ambitious plans for this year as it is aiming to complete 52 orbital flights this year, at a rate of one launch per week. Following the launch on January 29, SpaceX has scheduled another flight on February 2 for the NROL-87 mission from California's Vandenberg Space Force Base. The firm informed that it completed a static fire of the Falcon 9 ahead of the liftoff. SpaceX in 2021 completed 31 successful launches, a record which it intends to break this year. 

Image: Twitter/@SpaceX