SkySat Constellation

SkySat Constellation

  • Rapid coverage and frequent revisit of large areas
  • Near-real-time capacity

Product Description

SkySat Constellation

Satellite/ConstellationSkySat-1 – 21
Altitude400-450km
Bit depth12 bit
Equatorial crossing timeEquatorial Crossing (UTC) 10:30 – SkySat-3 – 6, 14 – 16

UTC 13:00 – SkySat-1 and SkySat-2

UTC 13:00 – SkySat-8 – 13

Frame Size6km x 5.9km
Launch date(s)SkySat-1 – 21 were launched between Nov 2013 and Jun 2020
OrbitSun-synchronous, polar inclined, circular
Spatial resolution (GSD)[SkySat-1 – SkySat-21]

Panchromatic: 0.86m – 0.58m

Multispectral: 1m – 0.72m

Spectral bandsPan: 450 – 900nm

NIR: 740 – 900nm

Red: 605 – 695nm

Green: 515 – 595nm

Blue: 450 – 515nm

Swath5.9km at nadir
Temporal resolutionSub-daily (constellation)

SkySat is an American Earth imaging satellite operated by Planet Labs, which commercialises its imagery directly. The first SkySat was constructed by Skybox Imaging with the aim of enabling government and commercial customers to more efficiently manage assets, as well as monitor agriculture systems, forests, and other natural resources.

In 2018, Planet and Google completed a partnership which saw the launch of PlanetScope satellites and multiple additional SkySats. The SkySat constellation has 21 satellites currently in orbit. Each are 3-axis stabilised and able to fly between targets of interest. Each satellite has a panchromatic and 4-Band Sensor (Red, Green, Blue, Near-Infrared), with three cameras capturing overlapping strips.

With 21 SkySat satellites in orbit,  Planet can image certain locations across the globe upwards of 7-12 times per day. In 2020, the SkySat constellation was successfully lowered in orbit, increasing the resolution capability of its satellites to a maximum of 58 cm. Planet’s cloud-based imagery platform is an efficient and effective solution to store, process, and deliver this imagery at rapid speeds.

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