When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.
SpaceX launched the first mission of 2026 tonight (Jan. 2).
A Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California tonight at 9:09 p.m. EST (6:09 p.m. local California time; 0209 GMT on Jan. 3), carrying an Italian Earth-observing satellite to orbit.
The rocket's first stage landed back at Vandenberg as planned about 8.5 minutes after liftoff. It was the 21st flight for this particular booster, according to SpaceX.
About 4.5 minutes later, the Falcon 9's second stage deployed the payload — a COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellite — into low Earth orbit for the Italian Space Agency and the Italian Ministry of Defence.
The spacecraft will study Earth using synthetic aperture radar, gathering data at all times of day and in all weather conditions from an altitude of 385 miles (620 kilometers).
COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation is a small network designed 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," according to a European Space Agency explainer.
Among those applications are "risk management, cartography, forest & environment protection, natural resources exploration, land management, defense and security, maritime surveillance, food & agriculture management," the explainer adds.
Three COSMO-SkyMed Second Generation satellites have now launched to date. The first one flew in December 2019 atop a Soyuz rocket, and the second lifted off in January 2022 on a Falcon 9.
Tonight's liftoff was the first of 2026 not just for SpaceX but for the global launch community.
It's no surprise that SpaceX is breaking in the year. Elon Musk's company launched a whopping 165 orbital missions in 2025 — far more than any other entity, either commercial or governmental. That was also a record for SpaceX, which the company may aim to break again this year.
Editor's note: This story was updated at 9:25 p.m. ET on Jan. 2 with news of successful launch, rocket landing and satellite deployment.
latest_posts
- 1
Tatiana Schlossberg, a granddaughter of JFK, is dead at 35 after cancer diagnosis - 2BHP liable for 2015 Brazil mine disaster: UK court
- 3Conquering Social Generalizations: Individual Accounts of Strengthening
- 4The 15 Most Motivating TED Discusses All Time
- 5Where America’s CO2 emissions come from – what you need to know, in charts
- Bruno Mars tour 2026: How to get tickets for 'The Romantic Tour,' presale times, prices and more
- Is new Harry Styles music on the way? Fans think so, after a cryptic website and posters pop up.
- Humpback whale freed by rescuers in Baltic Sea has become stranded again
- A definitive Handbook for Securities exchange Money management
- Arctic sea ice hits lowest winter level as heat records are shattered worldwide
- 'Dancing with the Stars' semifinals: How to watch Episode 10 tonight, where to stream, who's left and more
- Vote in favor of the subject that you see as generally captivating and intelligent!
- Carrying on with a Sans plastic Way of life: Individual Examinations in Maintainability
- The most effective method to Pick the Best Wellbeing Highlights for Seniors in SUVs
