Musings on GeoEye-2

A new Earth imaging satellite launch generally means breaking barriers of technology and pushing the envelope to cover more space more efficiently. Since the first near-space photographs from US made V2, the technology has progressed at a very fast pace especially since the launch of first sub-meter civilian spacing imaging satellite Ikonos-2. Ikonos-2 was launched in 1999. A lot  of earth imaging satellites have been launched since then, each better than its predecessor. Users were impressed with GeoEye-1’s resolution when it was launched in September 2008. GeoEye-1 is capable of producing images upto 41cm resolution at nadir. GeoEye-1 was originally known as OrbView-5 when ITT Exelis got the contract to build the satellite sensor. GeoEye-1’s successor GeoEye-2 is likely to be launched in 2013.

 

GeoEye-2 will collect images with a ground resolution of 34cm (13.4 inch) in the panchromatic or black-and-white mode. GeoEye-2 resolution will be the best among its peers.  It will collect multispectral or color imagery at 1.36-meter (54 inch) resolution. This advanced resolution will offer customers unprecedented, precise views for mapping, change detection and image analysis. Although the U.S. government regulations will require GeoEye-2 imagery to be re-sampled to 50cm, this is expected to result in better, clearer, sharper 50cm satellite imagery than previously available from other satellite sensors.

 

GeoEye-2 has also implemented Enhanced Line Rate technology which will enable it to collect and fulfill large area orders more quickly. The same technology was implemented in GeoEye-1 in May 2012. GeoEye-2 will make 15 orbits every day while orbiting at an altitude of 681 km, with an velocity of 7.5 km/sec . Its sun-synchronous orbit will enable it to pass over any point on earth at about 10:30 a.m. local time every day. Given its planned altitude and sun-synchronous orbit and field of view, GeoEye-2 will be able to “revisit” any point on the globe every three days or sooner, depending upon the required look angle and the latitude of the location.

GEOEYE-2: SATELLITE SENSOR CHARACTERISTICS

Spatial Resolution	.34m Panchromatic at Nadir 1.36 Multispectral at Nadir
Positional Accuracy	5 meter CE90 (specification) 3-4 meter CE90 (expected)
Swath	14.5 km
Collection Capacity	600,000 sq km/day (Pan + MSI)
Collection Modes	Panchromatic Only Multispectral Only Pan+MS(Simultaneous)
Bit Depth	11
Orbital Altitude	681 km

GeoEye-2 stands two stories high and weighs more than two tons still GeoEye-2 is designed to beautifully  train its camera on multiple targets during a single orbital pass. It will rotate or swivel forward, backward or side-to-side with high robotic precision. This unrivaled agility is shown deftly in following collection simulation over United States East coast:

| Video Copyright GeoEye |