The newly formed United Launch Alliance launched a Delta II rocket June 7, boosting the Italian-built COSMO-SkyMed payload into orbit from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. The company says that this is the first time a ULA Delta II launch vehicle has been used for a commercial satellite. This Constellation of Small Satellites for Mediterranean basin Observation, or COSMO-1, is the first of four COSMO-SkyMeds scheduled for launch. COSMO-2 will launch either later this year or early 2008.
As the Space Force implements sweeping acquisition reforms over the next few years that will change the way it sets requirements, manages programs, and fields systems to operators, the head of its acquisition field command wants to ensure all of the change doesn’t disrupt program execution.