DigitalGlobe has successfully launched its latest high-resolution imaging satellite, WorldView-4.
Originally scheduled for a launch in September, the launch finally went ahead Friday 11 November 2016. DigitalGlobe received signals from the satellite indicating a stable orbiting positioning 45 minutes after its launch aboard an Atlas V rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
WorldView-4 will add 680,000 sq km of imagery to the DigitalGlobe image library everyday, effectively doubling DigitalGlobe’s capacity to collect 30 centimeter commercial satellite imagery and produce 50cm digital elevation models (DEMs).
WorldView-4 joins WorldView 1, 2, 3, GeoEye-1 and QuickBird2 to serve the needs of a rapidly growing list of remote sensing applications, from mining exploration and defence to environmental monitoring and security.
“WorldView-4 dramatically extends DigitalGlobe’s position as the industry leader in earth imagery and insight into our changing planet,” said Jeffrey R. Tarr, Chief Executive Officer of DigitalGlobe. “The importance of today’s success to our customers and shareowners is evidenced by the unprecedented pre-launch demand for this new capacity.”
“This expansion of the DigitalGlobe constellation will accelerate our efforts to build out the digital globe and enable our customers to derive new insights and make critical decisions with confidence.”
The WorldView-4 satellite was built by Lockheed Martin, and its imaging payload was developed by Harris Corp. The United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch that delivered the satellite to orbit was provided by Lockheed Martin Commercial Launch Services.
Executive Vice President of Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company said that the launch was part of a longstanding partnership with DigitalGlobe: “From the world’s first high-resolution commercial imaging satellite, IKONOS, to the state-of-the-art WorldView-4, Lockheed Martin and DigitalGlobe have an unparalleled legacy of innovation in remote sensing,” he said.
