On August 13, 2014, DigitalGlobe successfully sent the next-generation high-resolution imagery satellite into space, WorldView-3 (WV3). WorldView-3 joins its two siblings, WorldView-1 and WorldView-2 (WV2), orbiting our planet a mere 617 kilometers from its surface! DigitalGlobe has set a track record of calibrating satellites quicker than any other company in the industry, so we fully expect WV3 imagery sales to start before the end of 2014.
Hands down, WorldView-3 is the most technologically advanced satellite ever launched. Building upon and extending the technology of WV2, WorldView-3 features higher resolution, more spectral bands and greater agility than any other commercial satellite in the marketplace.
Here are the features that really set WV3 apart from the competition:
As WV3 sped through our atmosphere reaching an orbit more than 600 km above the planet, its 50-cm panchromatic-only sibling, WV1, captured this time series of the launch from its heavenly position.- Improved Resolution
- Higher resolution means you can see more detail in WV3 imagery.
- Data collected at nadir will have 31-centimeter (cm) panchromatic, 1.24-meter (m) visible and near infrared, 3.7-m short-wave infrared and 30-m CAVIS bands.
- At 20 degrees off-nadir, the resolution is 34-cm panchromatic, 1.38-m visible and near infrared and 4.1-m short-wave infrared.
- With the easing of US government regulations, we will be able to provide WV3 imagery at a maximum of 30-cm resolution.
- Additional Spectral Bands
- If spectral analysis is part of your project, then no other satellite can match WV3 with its 8 bands of visible and near-infrared data; 8 shortwave infrared bands which are crucial for geological studies; and 12 CAVIS bands to detect water vapor, dissolved aerosols, snow, clouds and more.
- Better Positional Accuracy
- With accuracies of 3.5-m CE90% or better (without ground control even!), WV3 has no rivals for its enhanced positional accuracy.
- Daily Revisits
- At 40 degrees latitude, WV3 will be able to image each location daily with 1-meter or better resolution and then every 4.5 days at 34-cm resolution or better.
- Increased Collection Capacity
- WV3 features a 13.1-km swath width (at nadir) with the ability to collect up to 680,000 square kilometer (sq km) of high-resolution data per day.
- Improved control movement gyros translate into a larger maximum contiguous collection area per pass with up to ~7,500 sq km of mono imagery and ~3,000 sq km of stereo possible.
Please keep a look out at upcoming editions of The Geospatial Times for updates on WV3 imagery availability, product samples and pricing. If you have any specific questions about WV3 now, please send us an email at sales@apollomapping.com.
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