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sales@apollomapping.com (303) 993-3863SkySat Satellite
SkySat satellite is a growing constellation of 50-cm resolution micro-satellites.
Sample imagery
The SkySat Advantage
Multiple Images Per Day
As more SkySats are launched, this constellation will collect up to 12 images per day over a given location.
50-cm Panchromatic Video
SkySat can collect 50-cm panchromatic video over your area of interest.
81-cm Multispectral Bands
Unlike most high-resolution satellites, SkySat offers true 81-cm resolution, 4-band multispectral imagery without pansharpening.
Overview & History
SkySat is a growing constellation of 21 (as of August 2020), sub-meter resolution micro-satellites. Launched in 2014, the satellites currently collect 65-centimeter (cm) panchromatic and 81-cm (m) 4-band multispectral (i.e. blue, green, red and near-infrared [NIR]) imagery–which is delivered as 50-cm 4-band pansharpened imagery through super-resolution processing. Originally built and launched by Terra Bella, the first seven SkySat satellites were acquired by Planet in 2017. Since then, Planet has added a number of microsats to the constellation.
SkySat’s impressive flock of microsats is ideal for monitoring high-value sights offering up to 12 revisits per day over a given location with the additional capability to capture 120 seconds of 50-cm panchromatic video. Micro-satellites are small with shorter life expectancies then their larger counterparts like WorldView-3, so expect to see more SkySats launched into orbit as the original microsats reach the end of their lifespans.
SkySat Specifications
Launch Details
- Launch Date: multiple microsat launch dates, including (but not limited to) November 21, 2013 ~06:10 UTC, SkySat-1; July 8, 2014 15:58:28 UTC, SkySat-2; June 22, 2016 03:56 UTC, 1 SkySat Class C sats; September 16, 2016 01:43:35 UTC, 4 SkySat Class C sats; October 31, 2017 21:37 UTC, 6 SkySat Class C sats; December 3, 2018 18:34 UTC, 2 SkySat SkySat Class C and Class D1 sats; June 13, 2020 09:21 UTC, SkySats 16, 17, 18; August 18, 2020 14:31 UTC, SkySats 19, 20, 21
- Vehicle: SpaceX Falcon 9
- Site: Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
SkySat Components
- Dimensions: 80-cm tall x 60-cm across, 83 kg
- Onboard Storage Capacity: 768 gigabytes
- Ground Communication Systems:
- Imagery & metadata downlink–470 Mbps X-band
- Commands–16 kbps S-band
Orbit Characteristics
- Altitude: 600 km
- Inclination: 97.8°; SkySats 16–21 at 53° to add additional daily revisits
- Direction: sun-synchronous near-circular orbit, north to south (across the lit side of Earth)
- Equatorial Crossing Time: 10:30 local time; 13:30 local time for only October 31, 2017 launched sats (approximate; across lit side of Earth); SkySats 16–21 crossing times vary daily, with a shifting ~3 hour access window per day
- Revisit Frequency: 3 to 12 times per day with the entire constellation (latitude dependent)
Imaging System
- Spectral Bands:
- Panchromatic
- 4-band multispectral (blue, green, red and NIR)
- Sensor Resolution:
- Pre-2016 sats–90-cm panchromatic & 1.0-m multispectral (at-nadir, 500 km altitude)
- 2016 to October 2019–72-cm panchromatic & 1.0-m multispectral (at-nadir, 500 km altitude); transition to 50-cm panchromatic started about October 2019
- July 2020 and on–65-cm panchromatic & 81-cm multispectral (at-nadir, 500 km altitude); SkySats 1/2 remain at 72-cm panchromatic & 1.0-m multispectral; delivered as pansharpened 50-cm 4-band imagery through super-resolution processing
- Spectral Band Wavelength Range: (in nm)
- Panchromatic–450 to 900
- Blue–450 to 515
- Green–515 to 595
- Red–605 to 695
- NIR–740 to 900
- Dynamic Range: 11-bits
- Video Imaging: 50-cm panchromatic only (72-cm for data collected before July 2020); up to 120-seconds (60-second maximum recommended)
Collection Capabilities
- Footprint Width: each microsat has three cameras collecting overlapping scenes approximately 2,560 x 1,080 pixels
- Daily Collection Capacity: approximately 245,000 sq km across the entire constellation (more as the constellation grows; July 2019 figure); approximately 400,000 sq km as reported in April 2020
- Georeferenced Horizontal Accuracy: 90-m CE90 (global average; depends on terrain and nadir pointing; 500 km altitude)
Pricing
Data Source
archive
Minimum Order Size
25 sq km (per area & date)
Product Type
georeferenced + natural color or 4-band
Price Per Sq Km
Looking for SkySat spectral response values to be used in an atmospheric correction and/or radiance conversion?
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