Imagery SourcesGeoEye set geospatial industry standards with the launch of IKONOS®, the world's first sub-meter commercial satellite. Driven to continue this trend through an intense commitment to our clients, Geoeye owns and operates an extensive constellation of Earth-imaging satellites, mapping aircraft and an international network of ground stations. These resources, coupled with our vast imagery archive and advanced imagery-processing capabilities, allow us to offer a broad spectrum of imagery products that our clients continue to rely on year after year.GeoEye-1
GeoEye again made history with the Sept. 6, 2008 launch of GeoEye-1—the world's highest resolution commercial earth-imaging satellite. GeoEye-1 is equipped with the most sophisticated technology ever used in a commercial satellite system. It offers unprecedented spatial resolution by simultaneously acquiring 0.41-meter panchromatic and 1.65-meter multispectral imagery. The detail and geospatial accuracy of GeoEye-1 imagery further expands applications for satellite imagery in every commercial and government market sector.To learn more about GeoEye’s collection and delivery capabilities, please visit our launch site.GEOEYE-1 Specifications
| Spatial Resolution |
n/a |
|
Panchromatic Sensor
|
0.41 meters x 0.41 meters |
|
Multispectral Sensor
|
1.65 meters x 1.65 meters |
|
Spectral Range |
450–800 nm
450–510 nm (blue)
510–580 nm (green)
655–690 nm (red)
780–920 nm (near IR)
|
|
Swath Width
|
15.2 km |
|
Off-Nadir Imaging
|
Up to 60 degrees |
|
Dynamic Range |
11 bits per pixel |
|
Mission Life Expected |
> 10 years |
|
Revisit Time
|
Less than 3 days |
|
Orbital Altitude
|
681 km |
|
Nodal Crossing
|
10:30 a.m. |
› GeoEye-1 / IKONOS Imagery Comparison
IKONOSSetting the Standard
GeoEye first made history with the IKONOS satellite launch over ten years ago. IKONOS, derived from the Greek word for image, is the world's first commercial satellite able to collect black-and-white (panchromatic) images with 82-centimeter resolution and multispectral imagery with 4-meter resolution. Imagery from both sensors can be merged to create 1-meter color imagery (pan-sharpened). The more than 300 million square kilometers of imagery that IKONOS has collected over every continent is being used for national security, military mapping, air and marine transportation, and by regional and local governments.IKONOS Specifications
|
Spatial Resolution
|
0.82 meter x 3.2 meters |
|
Spectral Range |
526–929 nm
445–516 nm (blue)
506–595 nm (green)
632–698 nm (red)
757–853 nm (near IR)
|
|
Swath Width
|
11.3 km |
|
Off-Nadir Imaging
|
Up to 60 degrees |
|
Dynamic Range |
11 bits per pixel |
|
Mission Life Expected |
> 8.3 years |
|
Revisit Time
|
Approximately 3 days |
|
Orbital Altitude
|
681 km |
|
Nodal Crossing
|
10:30 a.m. |
› IKONOS / GeoEye-1 Imagery Comparison
OrbView-2
GeoEye’s OrbView-2 collects on a daily basis color imagery of the Earth’s land and ocean surfaces. As the foundation upon which GeoEye built the SeaStarSMFisheries Information Service, OrbView-2 provides imagery for maps used by commercial vessels to detect favorable oceanographic fishing conditions. The satellite also provides broad-area coverage in 2,800 km-wide swaths, which are routinely used in naval operations, environmental monitoring, and global crop-assessment applications.ORBVIEW-2 Specifications
|
Spatial Resolution |
1.13 km LAC/HRPT and 4.5 km GAC
Eight narrow spectral bands 0.402-0.888 nm >
402-422 nm (violet)
433-453 nm (violet-blue)
480-500 nm (blue)
|
|
Spectral Bands |
500-520 nm (green)
545-565 nm (green)
660-680 nm (red)
745-785 nm (near-IR)
845-885 nm (near-IR)
|
|
Orbit Type
|
Sun Synchronous at 705 km |
|
Nodal Crossing |
Noon +20 min, descending |
|
Orbital Period |
99 minutes |
|
Swath Width |
2,800 km LAC/HRPT (58.3 degrees); 1,500 km GAC (45 degrees) |
|
Revisit Time
|
1 day |
|
Calibration
|
On-board solar diffuser calibration update reference |
|
Lunar Calibration
|
Monthly maneuver |
|
Digitization
|
10 bits |
|
Sun glint avoidance
|
+/- 20 degree sensor fore-aft tilt |
|
Mission Life
|
> 12 years |
› More information on OrbView-2
