# products

atlas_id: a9f2a5e7-f248-45ba-abb6-16c787332b37
slug: aac-epic-link
status: live
name: AAC EPIC LINK Satellite Platform
aliases: ["EPIC LINK","EPIC Link","EPIC LINK 6U","EPIC LINK 8U"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: aac-clyde-space
bus: {"power_w":10,"form_factor":"6U CubeSat (8U variant for LusoSpace programme)"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
6U (and 8U variant) CubeSat bus optimised for communications payloads. Pointing knowledge <=0.5 deg, pointing accuracy <=0.5 deg. Payload power OAP 10 W. S-band TT&C and payload data: 128 kbps up / 512 kbps down. Data storage 4 GB. Low-noise bus design, de-orbit compliant. Optional Xiphos SDR integration. In-orbit heritage: Ymir-1 (VDES demonstrator), LusoSpace constellation (8U variant, 11 satellites planned late 2025).

sources:
[{"id":"epic-link-product-page","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/what-we-do/space-missions/epic-link","title":"EPIC LINK Communication Spacecraft, AAC Clyde Space product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"aac-missions-page","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/what-we-do/space-missions/our-missions","title":"Our Missions, AAC Clyde Space","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 0d896869-d279-42c0-a62d-fb4995254121
slug: aac-epic-view
status: live
name: AAC EPIC VIEW Satellite Platform
aliases: ["EPIC VIEW","EPIC View","EPIC VIEW 6U","EPICHyper"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: aac-clyde-space
bus: {"power_w":10,"form_factor":"6U CubeSat"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
6U CubeSat bus optimised for Earth observation. High-precision ADCS: pointing knowledge <=0.01 deg, pointing accuracy <=0.1 deg. Payload power OAP 10 W. S-band TT&C at 128 kbps up / 512 kbps down; X-band payload downlink at 80 Mbps. Platform data storage 4 GB (min); payload data storage 128 GB. GPS included. Launched as EPICHyper-1/2/3 (Wyvern Dragonette-001/002/003, 2023) and VIREON-1/2 (2026). TRL 9 in flight.

sources:
[{"id":"epic-view-product-page","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/what-we-do/space-missions/epic-view-satellite","title":"EPIC VIEW Earth Observation Satellite, AAC Clyde Space product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"epichyper1-launch-article","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/articles/aac-clyde-space-sdaas-satellite-epichyper-1-successfully-launched-on-spacex-rocket","title":"EPICHyper-1 successfully launched on SpaceX rocket, AAC Clyde Space press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"transporter16-article","url":"https://satnews.com/2026/03/30/aac-clyde-space-expands-orbital-presence-with-transporter-16-launch/","title":"AAC Clyde Space expands orbital presence with Transporter-16 launch, SatNews","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gunters-epichyper","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/epichyper-1.htm","title":"EPICHyper 1, 2, 3 (Dragonette 001, 002, 003), Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: c823ed06-82cb-4698-9d86-ccf49d8418d1
slug: aster
status: live
name: ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer)
aliases: ["Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer","ASTER sensor","ASTER Terra"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: jaxa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Three-telescope multispectral imaging radiometer aboard Terra (EOS AM-1), jointly developed by METI/Japan and NASA, covering 14 bands from visible through thermal infrared (520-11650 nm). VNIR 15 m, SWIR 30 m (non-operational since approximately April 2008), TIR 90 m, 60 km swath. The pre-2008 SWIR archive (bands 4-9, 1.60-2.43 um, with bands 6-9 at 2.145-2.43 um particularly diagnostic for clay, carbonate, and sulphate alteration mineral identification) is the foundational global dataset for regional lithological and mineral alteration mapping.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":520,"max":11650},"spectral_band_count":14,"gsd_m":{"native":30},"swath_km":60,"bit_depth":8,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":520,"max":860},"spectral_band_count":4,"gsd_m":{"native":15}},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":1600,"max":2430},"spectral_band_count":6,"gsd_m":{"native":30}},{"name":"TIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":8125,"max":11650},"spectral_band_count":5,"gsd_m":{"native":90}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"terra-about","url":"https://terra.nasa.gov/about/terra-instruments/aster","title":"ASTER instrument overview, Terra NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"asterweb-instrument","url":"https://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/instrument.asp","title":"ASTER Instrument, asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-terra","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/terra","title":"Terra (EOS AM-1), eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"lpdaac-aster","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/aster","title":"ASTER instrument overview, NASA Earthdata / LP DAAC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"asterweb-home","url":"https://asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov/","title":"ASTER instrument homepage, asterweb.jpl.nasa.gov","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 10f5ee20-a241-4846-9283-663fcbd5ec7e
slug: biomass-p-sar
status: live
name: P-SAR (BIOMASS P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar)
aliases: ["BIOMASS SAR","BIOMASS P-SAR"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: airbus-ds
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Fully polarimetric P-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, sole imaging payload of the ESA BIOMASS satellite (Earth Explorer 7, launched 29 April 2025). First P-band SAR in orbit for Earth observation. Centre frequency 435 MHz (about 69 cm wavelength). Primary product is global above-ground forest biomass at 4 ha resolution annually; secondary product is forest disturbance detection at about 0.25 ha minimum mapping unit with global revisit every five months in the interferometric phase. Built by Airbus DS UK as prime, with Harris Corporation (12 m deployable mesh reflector) and Thales Alenia Space (feed array) as key subcontractors.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"P","centre_frequency_mhz":435,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":6,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","HV","VH"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[23,35],"nesz_db":-27,"transmit_power_w":120,"swath_km":50,"modes":[{"name":"Tomographic","resolution_range_m":60,"resolution_azimuth_m":50,"swath_km":50,"polarisation":"HH+VV+HV+VH"},{"name":"Interferometric","resolution_range_m":60,"resolution_azimuth_m":50,"swath_km":50,"polarisation":"HH+VV+HV+VH"}],"notes":"Bandwidth 6 MHz (ITU allocation for P-band EO). NESz threshold -27 dB / goal -30 dB. Cross-talk threshold -25 dB / goal -30 dB. Radiometric stability 0.5 dB (1 sigma). 120 W peak transmit at 12 percent duty cycle. Average PRF 3050 Hz. Instrument mass 206 kg with margin. Three interleaved swaths 23 to 35 degree incidence range. 12 m deployable mesh reflector, offset-feed design."}

sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/BIOMASS/Facts_and_figures","title":"BIOMASS Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-eogateway","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/biomass","title":"BIOMASS mission overview, ESA EO Gateway","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-main","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/BIOMASS","title":"BIOMASS mission page, ESA","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-biomass","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/biomass","title":"ESA BIOMASS mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 42f1049a-bfd0-4f78-a946-6f832ae1e368
slug: c-sar
status: live
name: C-SAR
aliases: ["Sentinel-1 SAR","C-SAR instrument","Sentinel-1 C-band SAR"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: airbus-ds
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Active C-band Synthetic Aperture Radar operating at 5.405 GHz (about 5.55 cm wavelength), sole imaging payload of the ESA Sentinel-1 satellite series under the Copernicus programme. Instrument built by Airbus Defence and Space (Friedrichshafen); satellite platform built by Thales Alenia Space (distinct role). Active phased-array antenna 12.3 by 0.821 metres. Four imaging modes: Interferometric Wide Swath (IW) is the operational workhorse at 250 km swath / 5 by 20 m resolution dual-pol; plus Extra Wide (EW, 400 km), Stripmap (SM, 80 km, ERS/Envisat heritage), and Wave (WV, open ocean profiling). Operational on Sentinel-1A (2014), Sentinel-1C (Dec 2024), Sentinel-1D (Nov 2025); Sentinel-1B retired August 2022 after a power anomaly. Backbone of RADD forest disturbance alerts.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"C","centre_frequency_mhz":5405,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":100,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","HH+HV","VV+VH"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[18.3,47],"nesz_db":-22,"antenna_length_m":12.3,"transmit_power_w":4368,"swath_km":250,"modes":[{"name":"IW","resolution_range_m":5,"resolution_azimuth_m":20,"swath_km":250,"polarisation":"VV+VH or HH+HV"},{"name":"EW","resolution_range_m":20,"resolution_azimuth_m":40,"swath_km":400,"polarisation":"VV+VH or HH+HV"},{"name":"SM","resolution_range_m":5,"resolution_azimuth_m":5,"swath_km":80},{"name":"WV","resolution_range_m":5,"resolution_azimuth_m":20,"swath_km":20}],"notes":"PRF 1000 to 3000 Hz programmable. Pulse width 5 to 100 microseconds programmable. Bandwidth 0 to 100 MHz programmable. IW mode uses TOPSAR burst-mode across three sub-swaths."}

sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Facts_and_figures","title":"Sentinel-1 Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-instrument","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Instrument","title":"Sentinel-1 Instrument page, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-constellation","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Satellite_constellation","title":"Sentinel-1 Satellite Constellation, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-s1","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/sentinel-1","title":"Sentinel-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"copernicus-dataspace","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/explore-data/data-collections/sentinel-data/sentinel-1","title":"Sentinel-1 data collections, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 1ad70e7a-72de-40a3-a7f9-c28a08b36327
slug: cockpit-sdk
status: live
name: Cockpit (Loft Orbital Mission Control)
aliases: ["Cockpit SDK","Loft Cockpit"]
kind: consortium-platform
product_status: operational
manufacturer: loft-orbital
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Loft Orbital's web-based mission control and payload tasking platform. Gives hosted-payload customers secure remote command access to their payload on a shared spacecraft as if it were on a dedicated satellite. Includes the Hub hardware adapter for payload integration and the HubKit for pre-flight validation. The federated multi-customer model on shared spacecraft is the reason consortium-platform is the correct kind: each payload customer operates independently through Cockpit while sharing the bus.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Payload tasking and scheduling via web-based UI","Remote command transmission to on-orbit payload","Telemetry monitoring and health tracking","Multi-mission resource management across Loft fleet","Pre-flight payload-to-Hub interface validation via HubKit"]}

sources:
[{"id":"loft-technology","url":"https://www.loftorbital.com/technology","title":"Technology, Loft Orbital","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"loft-hubkit-post","url":"https://loftorbital.com/hubkit-bench-tested-today-flight-ready-tomorrow/","title":"HubKit - Bench-tested Today, Flight-ready Tomorrow, Loft Orbital","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: ced5ed92-857c-41fe-8a30-0828d517c11d
slug: datacosmos
status: live
name: DataCosmos
aliases: ["Data Cosmos","Open Cosmos DataCosmos"]
kind: data-platform
product_status: operational
manufacturer: open-cosmos
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Multi-source EO data aggregation and delivery platform from Open Cosmos. Provides STAC API access and Cloud Optimized GeoTIFF delivery from SpaceWill, Geosat, Sentinel, Landsat, and other sources. Python and Jupyter notebook integration, band algebra, AI application layer (cloud detection, building detection, carbon, oil spills, algae detection via partner integrations). Full API access for programmatic use. Also acts as the data delivery layer for Open Cosmos-operated missions within OpenConstellation.

sources:
[{"id":"datacosmos-product-page","url":"https://www.open-cosmos.com/datacosmos","title":"DataCosmos, Open Cosmos product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"open-cosmos-home","url":"https://www.open-cosmos.com","title":"Open Cosmos, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 4de58a72-1667-4ad7-b3b4-cc60f6a2b4b9
slug: desis
status: live
name: DESIS (DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer)
aliases: ["DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer","DESIS"]
kind: sensor
product_status: retired
manufacturer: dlr
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Pushbroom VNIR hyperspectral imaging spectrometer developed by DLR Earth Observation Center, deployed June 2018 to the ISS MUSES platform operated by Teledyne Brown Engineering. 235 spectral channels from 402 to 1000 nm at 2.55 nm sampling, 30 m GSD, 30 km swath. Retired 31 December 2023 after approximately five years of operations. VNIR-only coverage excludes diagnostic SWIR features; adequate but not well-suited for clay, carbonate, and sulphate alteration mineral identification.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":402,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":235,"gsd_m":{"native":30},"swath_km":30,"bit_depth":12,"sampling_nm":2.55}

sources:
[{"id":"dlr-instrument","url":"https://www.dlr.de/en/eoc/research-transfer/projects-missions/desis/instrument","title":"DESIS Instrument, DLR EOC","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"krutz2019","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/s19071622","title":"The Instrument Design of the DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS), Sensors 2019","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alonso2019","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/s19204471","title":"Data Products, Quality and Validation of the DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer (DESIS), Sensors 2019","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-iss-muses","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-muses","title":"ISS MUSES, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"ceos-eohandbook","url":"https://database.eohandbook.com/database/missionsummary.aspx?missionID=776","title":"DESIS-on-ISS Mission Summary, CEOS EOHandbook","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 341daf7c-84a1-43d6-9c74-893f3650556c
slug: emit
status: live
name: EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation Imaging Spectrometer)
aliases: ["EMIT","Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation","EMIT Imaging Spectrometer"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: nasa-jpl
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Dyson-design pushbroom hyperspectral imaging spectrometer hosted on the International Space Station ExPRESS Logistics Carrier 1 (ELC1), designed and built by NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Covers 380-2500 nm across approximately 285 contiguous bands at 7.4 nm spectral sampling, 60 m GSD, 80 km swath, using a mercury cadmium telluride detector array. Launched aboard SpaceX CRS-25 on 14 July 2022; extended mission approved April 2023 and active through at least 2026. Primary science objective: map mineral composition of Earth arid dust source regions to quantify dust radiative forcing. L2B Estimated Mineral Identification product identifies ten key mineral classes including kaolinite, illite, montmorillonite, calcite, dolomite, hematite, and goethite. ISS 51.6-degree inclination limits coverage to approximately 52 S to 52 N. Broadest SWIR-band-positioned hyperspectral imager among operational ISS instruments; complements EnMAP and PRISMA for global surface mineralogy applications.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":380,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":285,"gsd_m":{"native":60},"swath_km":80,"sampling_nm":7.4}

sources:
[{"id":"jpl-emit-specs","url":"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/instrument/specifications/","title":"EMIT Instrument Specifications, NASA JPL","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"earthdata-emit","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/emit-imaging-spectrometer","title":"EMIT Imaging Spectrometer, NASA Earthdata","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jpl-emit-instrument","url":"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/instrument/","title":"EMIT Instrument Overview, NASA JPL","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jpl-emit-mission","url":"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/mission/","title":"EMIT Mission Overview, NASA JPL","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-emit","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-emit","title":"ISS EMIT, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"chakraborty2024","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122089","title":"Chakraborty et al. 2024, A Spectral and Spatial Comparison of Satellite-Based Hyperspectral Data for Geological Mapping, Remote Sensing","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 44420179-0f4b-40aa-8ec6-ff5f14a5f360
slug: endurosat-16u-bus
status: live
name: EnduroSat 16U CubeSat Bus
aliases: ["EnduroSat 16U Platform","EnduroSat 16U CubeSat Platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: endurosat
bus: {"payload_capacity_kg":24.5,"power_w":60,"form_factor":"16U CubeSat"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Flight-heritage 16U CubeSat bus by EnduroSat. Payload mass up to 24.5 kg, payload volume 10.3U (218 x 218 x 254 mm), payload power 25-60 W. S-band TT&C with X-band and K-band payload downlink up to 1 Gbps. Three-axis reaction wheel ADCS. Mission life 5 years. 6-month delivery-to-orbit timeline.

sources:
[{"id":"endurosat-16u-page","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/16u-platform/","title":"16U CubeSat Platform, EnduroSat product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"endurosat-products","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/","title":"Satellite Platforms, EnduroSat products overview","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 4b74aacb-8f8e-4ba2-aa8c-69f697f7985d
slug: endurosat-8u-bus
status: live
name: EnduroSat 8U CubeSat Bus
aliases: ["EnduroSat 8U Platform","EnduroSat 8U CubeSat Platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: endurosat
bus: {"payload_capacity_kg":6.8,"power_w":40,"form_factor":"8U CubeSat"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Flight-heritage 8U CubeSat bus by EnduroSat. Payload mass up to 6.8 kg, payload power 13-40 W (configuration dependent). S-band TT&C with X-band payload downlink up to 150 Mbps. Three-axis reaction wheel ADCS. Mission life 3-5 years. 80+ EnduroSat satellites in orbit across the full product range.

sources:
[{"id":"endurosat-8u-page","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/8u-platform/","title":"8U CubeSat Platform, EnduroSat product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"endurosat-products","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/","title":"Satellite Platforms, EnduroSat products overview","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 521ddbf7-029b-44cd-894d-e4672b3c5927
slug: endurosat-frame-l
status: live
name: EnduroSat FRAME L
aliases: ["EnduroSat FRAME-24","EnduroSat 24-inch ESPA platform","EnduroSat FRAME 24 Microsatellite"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: endurosat
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Large ESPA-class (24-inch) microsatellite bus by EnduroSat. Bus mass 200-250 kg, payload mass up to 300 kg, peak power 1.6 kW, max continuous 7 kW. Pointing accuracy <0.06 deg (3-sigma nadir). Propulsion: 400-1000 m/s delta-V. Payload data downlink up to 4 Gbps via 100G Ethernet / SpaceWire / SpaceFibre.

bus:
{"payload_capacity_kg":300,"power_w":1000,"pointing_accuracy_arcsec":216,"form_factor":"ESPA 24-inch class microsatellite"}

sources:
[{"id":"endurosat-framel-page","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/frame-24-microsatellite-platform/","title":"FRAME L (FRAME 24 Microsatellite Platform), EnduroSat product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"endurosat-products","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/","title":"Satellite Platforms, EnduroSat products overview","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 526c2e7a-4735-4159-96d6-1f7b8fd07b0a
slug: endurosat-frame-s
status: live
name: EnduroSat FRAME S
aliases: ["EnduroSat FRAME-15","EnduroSat ESPA-class Satellite","EnduroSat 15-inch ESPA platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: endurosat
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
ESPA-class (15-inch) microsatellite bus by EnduroSat. Bus mass 85-100 kg, payload mass up to 70 kg, peak power 600 W, average payload power 105-410 W. Pointing accuracy <0.04 deg (3-sigma nadir). Propulsion: 40-400 m/s delta-V. Payload data downlink up to 2 Gbps. Target: commercial EO, SAR, orbital computing constellations.

bus:
{"payload_capacity_kg":70,"power_w":410,"pointing_accuracy_arcsec":144,"form_factor":"ESPA 15-inch class microsatellite"}

sources:
[{"id":"endurosat-frames-page","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/the-frame-15-espa-class-satellite/","title":"FRAME S (ESPA-class Satellite), EnduroSat product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"endurosat-products","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/products/","title":"Satellite Platforms, EnduroSat products overview","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"endurosat-aethero-news","url":"https://www.endurosat.com/news/","title":"Aethero Deploys Next-Generation In-Orbit Computing on EnduroSat FRAME-15 (Apr 2026)","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 19835c66-aa96-4e57-b835-a8a59f890bbc
slug: enmap-hsi
status: live
name: EnMAP HSI (Hyperspectral Imager)
aliases: ["EnMAP Hyperspectral Imager","EnMAP HSI","Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program HSI"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: dlr
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Dual-detector pushbroom hyperspectral imaging spectrometer, sole payload of the EnMAP satellite (launched 1 April 2022, routine ops 2 November 2022). Built by OHB System AG as prime contractor; operated by DLR Earth Observation Center (Oberpfaffenhofen). Covers 420 to 2450 nm across 228 spectral bands: 99 VNIR bands at 6.5 nm sampling, 163 SWIR bands at 10 nm sampling, merged at the 900-1000 nm overlap. 30 m GSD, 30 km swath, 14-bit radiometric resolution, SNR exceeding 500 in VNIR. Off-nadir tilt to 30 degrees enables 4-day revisit. One of three operational civilian full-VNIR-SWIR hyperspectral imagers in orbit; SWIR coverage to 2450 nm covers diagnostic absorption features for clay, carbonate, sulphate, and phyllosilicate minerals.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":420,"max":2450},"spectral_band_count":228,"gsd_m":{"native":30},"swath_km":30,"bit_depth":14,"snr_typical":500,"sampling_nm":6.5}

sources:
[{"id":"enmap-specs","url":"https://www.enmap.org/data/doc/EnMAP_Specs.pdf","title":"EnMAP HSI Instrument Specification, enmap.org","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"enmap-spacesegment","url":"https://www.enmap.org/mission/spacesegment","title":"EnMAP Space Segment, enmap.org","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-enmap","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/enmap","title":"EnMAP, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"enmap-ops-nov2022","url":"https://www.enmap.org/news/2022-11-02","title":"EnMAP starts routine operations, enmap.org news","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"chakraborty2024","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122089","title":"A spectral and spatial comparison of satellite-based hyperspectral data for geological mapping, Remote Sensing 2024","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 885dc4a4-2e18-4567-9a61-d86200df90f4
slug: gedi
status: live
name: GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation)
aliases: ["Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation","GEDI Lidar"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: nasa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Full-waveform multi-beam spaceborne lidar mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility of the International Space Station. Developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center under the NASA Earth Ventures Instrument programme (USD 94 million cost cap), with the University of Maryland as science PI. First instrument purpose-built for global 3D mapping of forest canopy structure from orbit. Three Nd:YAG lasers at 1064 nm produce 4 beams via Beam Dithering Unit; each beam is then dithered to produce 2 ground tracks for 8 tracks total. 25 m footprint, 60 m along-track spacing, 600 m cross-track spacing. Coverage 51.6 degrees south to 51.6 degrees north (ISS inclination). Launched December 2018, moved to storage March 2023, reinstalled April 2024, operational since.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"lidar","measurement_principle":"active","wavelength_nm":1064,"pulse_energy_mj":10,"pulse_repetition_freq_hz":242,"pulse_width_ns":14,"beam_count":8,"footprint_diameter_m":25,"along_track_spacing_m":60,"cross_track_spacing_m":600,"vertical_resolution_m":0.15,"return_type":"full-waveform","beam_divergence_mrad":56,"notes":"Three Nd:YAG lasers at 1064 nm. Two lasers full-power; one split by BDU for 4 beams total. Each beam dithered by 1.5 mrad (about 600 m on ground) to produce 2 ground tracks per beam = 8 tracks (4 power + 4 cover). Full-waveform digitisation at 1 ns (15 cm) intervals. 80 cm telescope aperture. Off-nadir capability up to 6 degrees / about 40 km lateral pointing."}

sources:
[{"id":"gedi-specs","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/instrument/specifications/","title":"GEDI Instrument Specifications, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gedi-instrument-overview","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/instrument/instrument-overview/","title":"GEDI Instrument Overview, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gedi-mission-overview","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/mission/mission-overview/","title":"GEDI Mission Overview, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gedi-timeline","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/mission/timeline/","title":"GEDI Mission Timeline, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"earthdata-gedi","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/gedi-lidar","title":"GEDI Lidar, NASA Earthdata","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gedi-download","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/data/download/","title":"GEDI Data Download and Products, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 568cb8ec-9e7b-44af-be31-dc70ec51969f
slug: geoeye-1-imager
status: live
name: GeoEye-1 Imager
aliases: ["GIS","GeoEye Imaging System","GE-1 Imager"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: vantor
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Four-band multispectral plus panchromatic pushbroom imager on the GeoEye-1 satellite, operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence / DigitalGlobe). Designed by GeoEye, built on a General Dynamics SA-200HP spacecraft. Launched 6 September 2008. Panchromatic GSD 0.41 m at nadir (450-900 nm); 4-band multispectral GSD 1.64 m at nadir covering Blue, Green, Red, Near-IR (450-920 nm). 15.2 km swath at nadir. Extended operational service since design life expired September 2015. The GeoEye-1 imager was the highest-resolution commercial imaging sensor at time of launch in 2008.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":920},"spectral_band_count":5,"gsd_m":{"native":1.64},"swath_km":15.2,"channels":[{"name":"Panchromatic","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":900},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.41}},{"name":"Blue","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":510},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.64}},{"name":"Green","spectral_range_nm":{"min":520,"max":580},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.64}},{"name":"Red","spectral_range_nm":{"min":655,"max":690},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.64}},{"name":"Near-IR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":780,"max":920},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.64}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"esa-eog-ge1","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/geoeye-1","title":"GeoEye-1, ESA EO Gateway mission record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-ge1","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeoEye-1","title":"GeoEye-1, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-ge1","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/geoeye_1","title":"GeoEye-1, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 087adab9-5071-4aaf-be3d-8dd23a1813c5
slug: gfw-pro
status: live
name: GFW Pro (Global Forest Watch Pro)
aliases: ["GFW Pro","Global Forest Watch Pro"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: wri
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Enterprise subscription platform from WRI for deforestation risk management in commodity supply chains and investment portfolios. SaaS, web plus API. Launched publicly 11 June 2019 after pilot from October 2018. Consumes the major GFW alert datasets (Hansen, GLAD-L, GLAD-S2, RADD, DIST-ALERT, JJ-FAST) plus Planet 5 m imagery and applies them to user-uploaded farm polygons and supply-chain location data. EUDR module added August 2024 using Natural Lands Map baseline (31 December 2020). TraceGains integration January 2025. Over 1,000 organisations as of January 2025 across Platinum, Gold, and Silver membership tiers.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Batch supply-chain location risk screening (up to 150,000 locations per API exchange)","EUDR due-diligence baseline analysis against Natural Lands Map (31 December 2020 cut-off)","CSRD scope 3 emissions and forest impact reporting support","Commodity-specific deforestation risk (palm, soy, beef, cocoa, coffee, rubber, timber, sugar)","Daily processing throughput in the hundreds of thousands of locations on AWS Lambda plus DynamoDB plus S3 plus ArcGIS Server backend"]}

sources:
[{"id":"wri-launch-2019","url":"https://www.wri.org/news/release-companies-can-now-quickly-and-accurately-monitor-deforestation-around-world","title":"WRI press release, GFW Pro launch 11 June 2019","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gfwpro-eudr","url":"https://pro-news.globalforestwatch.org/news-events/how-gfw-pro-supports-eudr-compliance","title":"How GFW Pro supports EUDR compliance, GFW Pro Events","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"tracegains-2025","url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/tracegains-partners-with-global-forest-watch-pro-to-strengthen-esg-efforts-ahead-of-eu-deforestation-regulations-302353049.html","title":"TraceGains partners with GFW Pro, PR Newswire 16 January 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"blueraster-arch","url":"https://www.blueraster.com/gfw-pro/","title":"GFW Pro, Blue Raster technical architecture","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wri-tos-gfwpro","url":"https://www.wri.org/about/legal/gfw-pro-terms-use","title":"Special Terms of Service for GFW Pro, World Resources Institute","tier":"legal-text","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 200e3bf5-18b5-4e71-bdf5-1b10b2371b76
slug: global-forest-watch
status: live
name: Global Forest Watch (GFW)
aliases: ["GFW","Global Forest Watch platform"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: wri
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Free open-access web platform for forest monitoring operated by the World Resources Institute. Aggregates and distributes the major tropical deforestation alert datasets (GLAD-L, GLAD-S2, RADD, DIST-ALERT, JJ-FAST), the annual Hansen Global Forest Change baseline, and many additional layers including primary forest masks, protected-area boundaries, commodity concession data, and tree-cover-loss attribution. Launched as GFW 2.0 in 2014; over 9 million users to date. Companion enterprise platform GFW Pro provides subscription-based commodity supply chain due diligence; companion mobile app Forest Watcher provides offline field validation.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Multi-source deforestation alert aggregation (GLAD-L, GLAD-S2, RADD, DIST-ALERT, JJ-FAST) into integrated 10 m confidence-tiered alert layer","Annual Hansen Global Forest Change tree-cover-loss baseline (UMD/Google/USGS/NASA)","Primary forest, intact forest landscape, tree cover, and biome masks for analysis context","Commodity-driven loss attribution (Curtis et al. 2018 typology) and supply-chain risk overlays","Protected area, indigenous lands, and concession boundary overlays","Map-based exploration, time-series charts, area statistics, and downloadable data exports"]}

sources:
[{"id":"gfw-about","url":"https://www.globalforestwatch.org/about/","title":"About Global Forest Watch, World Resources Institute","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gfw-integrated-alerts","url":"https://www.globalforestwatch.org/blog/data-and-tools/integrated-deforestation-alerts/","title":"Integrated deforestation alerts on Global Forest Watch","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gfw-github","url":"https://github.com/wri/gfw","title":"wri/gfw GitHub repository (platform technology stack)","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wri-initiative-gfw","url":"https://www.wri.org/initiatives/global-forest-watch","title":"Global Forest Watch initiative page, World Resources Institute","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 9e74aac0-a67c-4170-b368-86a4a454b6dd
slug: hisui
status: live
name: HISUI (Hyperspectral Imager SUIte)
aliases: ["HISUI","Hyperspectral Imager Suite","JEM EF Hyperspectral Imager"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: meti
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Pushbroom dual-detector hyperspectral imaging spectrometer mounted on the Japan Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM EF) of the International Space Station, developed under the programme authority of Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI). 185 contiguous bands covering 400-2500 nm: 58 VNIR bands at 10 nm sampling (400-970 nm) and 127 SWIR bands at 12.5 nm sampling (900-2500 nm). GSD 20 m cross-track and 30 m along-track, 20 km swath, 12-bit quantisation. Launched December 2019; first imaging September 2020. Designed explicitly for mineral and resource exploration under METI's natural-resources mandate. CEOS database stated EOL December 2025; operator released radiometric correction version 4 on 2026-02-18 with no decommission announcement, indicating continued operation; status treated as operational with this caveat as of 2026-05-19. Data access restricted to Japanese domestic users via Tellus platform.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":185,"gsd_m":{"native":20},"swath_km":20,"bit_depth":12,"snr_typical":450,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":970},"spectral_band_count":58,"sampling_nm":10},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":900,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":127,"sampling_nm":12.5}]}

sources:
[{"id":"hisui-sensors","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/en/sensors/index.html","title":"HISUI Instrument Outline, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jspacesystems-hisui","url":"https://www.jspacesystems.or.jp/en/project/observation/hisui/","title":"HISUI project page, Japan Space Systems","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hisui-main","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/en/","title":"HISUI project portal, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hisui-project","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/en/project/index.html","title":"HISUI project outline, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hisui-distribution","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/product/distribution.html","title":"HISUI product distribution, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: a4ab6e59-3462-4451-9ac3-5b6736a7b6f1
slug: honeybee-hb0
status: live
name: Pixxel Honeybee Zero hyperspectral imager
aliases: ["Honeybee Zero","HB0 imager","Pixxel HB0"]
kind: sensor
product_status: in-development
manufacturer: pixxel
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Pushbroom VSWIR hyperspectral imaging spectrometer and primary payload on Pixxel's single-satellite Honeybee Zero technology demonstrator. First Pixxel instrument to cover the full visible-to-shortwave-infrared range: approximately 450 contiguous bands from 400 to 2550 nm at 8 m native GSD across a 5 km swath. Designed, built, and integrated in-house by Pixxel at its MegaPixxel facility in Bengaluru. As of May 2026, Honeybee Zero has not launched; all specifications are per Pixxel pre-launch operator documentation. Launch vehicle unconfirmed. No commissioning data or user imagery available.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":2550},"spectral_band_count":450,"gsd_m":{"native":8},"swath_km":5,"bit_depth":10}

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-docs-tech-demo","url":"https://docs.pixxel.space/documentation/satellite_and_imagery/tech_demo_overview","title":"Tech Demonstrators overview, Pixxel Documentation Portal","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"pixxel-support-hb0","url":"https://support.pixxel.space/hc/en-us/articles/21790453925276-Honeybee-0-Tech-Demonstrator-400-2550-nm-with-8m-resolution","title":"Honeybee-0 Tech Demonstrator (400 to 2550 nm with 8m resolution), Pixxel Support","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"geoimage-honeybee","url":"https://geoimage.com.au/satellites/honeybee-constellation","title":"Honeybee Constellation, Geoimage Australia","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"news9live-honeybee","url":"https://www.news9live.com/science/pixxel-to-deploy-honeybee-constellation-for-expanded-hyperspectral-coverage-2963885","title":"Pixxel to deploy Honeybee Constellation for expanded hyperspectral coverage, News9Live","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 05c512bc-e63d-48b8-85c8-51e87225f158
slug: hyperscape100
status: live
name: HyperScape100
aliases: ["HyperScape100","xScape100 HyperScape"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: simera-sense
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Simera Sense 1.5U CubeSat VNIR hyperspectral imager using a continuously variable optical filter (CVOF). 32 user-configured bands per acquisition selected from 400 available spectral positions across 460-860 nm. 4.75 m GSD at 500 km, 19.4 km swath, 12-bit, 4096 pixels across-track, 5.5 um pixel size, 1-to-8-stage digital TDI per band. The 400-band figure is the filter's available spectral resolution; each acquisition delivers 32 bands.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":460,"max":860},"spectral_band_count":32,"gsd_m":{"native":4.75},"swath_km":19.4,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"hyperscape100-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/hyperscape100/","title":"HyperScape100, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyperscape100-alt","url":"https://simera-sense.com/hyperscape100/","title":"HyperScape100, Simera Sense (alternate URL)","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kplabs-simera-partnership","url":"https://spaceinafrica.com/2025/08/12/kp-labs-and-simera-sense-collaborate-to-deliver-integrated-ai-powered-optical-payloads-for-future-space-missions/","title":"KP Labs and Simera Sense Collaborate to Deliver Integrated AI-powered Optical Payloads, Space in Africa","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kplabs-opssatvolt","url":"https://www.kplabs.space/projects-and-missions/ops-sat-volt-versatile-optical-laboratory-for-telecommunications","title":"OPS-SAT VOLT mission page, KP Labs","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 7a20e608-f877-40d8-b0de-49da7a660a67
slug: hyperscout-1
status: live
name: HyperScout-1
aliases: ["HyperScout 1","HyperScout","HS-1"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: cosine
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
First-generation miniaturised VNIR hyperspectral imager developed by cosine Research BV (Warmond, Netherlands) for small satellite platforms. Covers 400-1000 nm in 45 spectral bands at 16 nm sampling, 70 m GSD, 200 x 140 km swath from 500 km orbit. Mass 1.3 kg, 10 W power, 1.5 L volume. First flew on ESA GomX-4B (launched February 2018, mission ended March 2023) as the first miniaturised spaceborne hyperspectral imager with onboard Level-2 processing capability. Succeeded by HyperScout-2 (adds TIR channel); both generations currently offered as build-to-order payloads.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":45,"sampling_nm":16,"gsd_m":{"native":70},"swath_km":200}

sources:
[{"id":"cosine-hs1-page","url":"https://www.cosine.eu/hyperscout-1","title":"HyperScout-1 product page, cosine.eu","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-gomx4","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/gomx-4","title":"GomX-4 mission overview, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: daaa7f1b-24e1-402d-bfe0-a875fa62be2e
slug: hyperscout-2
status: live
name: HyperScout-2
aliases: ["HyperScout 2","HyperScout-2 VNIR+TIR","HS-2"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: cosine
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Dual-channel miniaturised hyperspectral and thermal imager developed by cosine Research BV (Warmond, Netherlands) for small satellite platforms. VNIR channel covers 400-1000 nm in 45 spectral bands at 16 nm sampling, 75 m GSD; TIR channel covers 8000-14000 nm in 3 broadband thermal filters, 490 m GSD. Swath 310 x 150 km from 540 km orbit. Total mass 1.7 kg, 12 W peak power. First launched September 2020 on ESA PhiSat-1 as the first spaceborne hyperspectral instrument with onboard AI cloud-detection capability. Offered as a build-to-order payload for nano, micro, and larger satellite platforms with 3-month lead time.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":45,"sampling_nm":16,"gsd_m":{"native":75},"swath_km":310,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":45,"sampling_nm":16,"gsd_m":{"native":75}},{"name":"TIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":8000,"max":14000},"spectral_band_count":3,"gsd_m":{"native":490}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"cosine-hs2-page","url":"https://www.cosine.eu/hyperscout-2","title":"HyperScout-2 product page, cosine.eu","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"cosine-hs1-page","url":"https://www.cosine.eu/hyperscout-1","title":"HyperScout-1 product page, cosine.eu","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-phisat1","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/phisat-1","title":"PhiSat-1 mission overview, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-gomx4","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/gomx-4","title":"GomX-4 mission overview, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esposito-spie-2019","url":"https://www.spiedigitallibrary.org/conference-proceedings-of-spie/11131/111310C/","title":"Esposito et al. 2019, In-orbit demonstration of AI applied to hyperspectral and thermal sensing from space, SPIE SmallSats for Earth Observation","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 2b10d5a8-6ceb-4b23-899f-2d3d5fc33e88
slug: hyspex-baldur
status: live
name: HySpex Baldur
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: hyspex
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: ground
aliases:
["Baldur V-1024 N","Baldur S-640i N","Baldur S-384 N","HySpex Baldur V-1024","HySpex Baldur S-640i","HySpex Baldur S-384"]

description:
HySpex Baldur series: high-speed industrial push-broom hyperspectral cameras from HySpex (NEO). Three variants: V-1024 N (VNIR 408-996 nm, up to 1024 pixels, 650-1020 fps), S-640i N (SWIR 950-1730 nm, 640 pixels, 560 fps), S-384 N (SWIR 960-2500 nm, 384 pixels, 395 fps). Designed for manufacturing process control and conveyor inspection, NOT for airborne deployment. 4x higher light sensitivity than HySpex Classic series. Nyquist spectral sampling. EO-Atlas positioning note: Baldur is industrial process-control instrumentation; its primary use cases are food sorting, pharmaceutical QC, mineral core scanning, and precision manufacturing, not airborne EO campaigns.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":408,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":288,"sampling_nm":5.5,"gsd_m":{"native":0.001},"bit_depth":16,"snr_typical":800,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR (V-1024 N)","spectral_range_nm":{"min":408,"max":996},"spectral_band_count":113,"sampling_nm":5.5},{"name":"SWIR-NIR (S-640i N)","spectral_range_nm":{"min":950,"max":1730},"spectral_band_count":208,"sampling_nm":3.41},{"name":"SWIR (S-384 N)","spectral_range_nm":{"min":960,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":288,"sampling_nm":5.45}]}

sources:
[{"id":"hyspex-baldur-v1024n-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-baldur/baldur-v-1024-n","title":"HySpex Baldur V-1024 N, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-baldur-s640in-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-baldur/baldur-s-640i-n","title":"HySpex Baldur S-640i N, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-baldur-s384n-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-baldur/baldur-s-384-n","title":"HySpex Baldur S-384 N, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 447911b6-b441-4630-9ee6-736c8cc35120
slug: hyspex-mjolnir
status: live
name: HySpex Mjolnir
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: hyspex
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: airborne
aliases:
["Mjolnir VS-620","Mjolnir V-1240","Mjolnir S-620","HySpex Mjolnir VS-620","HySpex Mjolnir V-1240","HySpex Mjolnir S-620"]

description:
Compact airborne and UAV-deployable push-broom hyperspectral camera family from HySpex (NEO). Three variants: VS-620 (combined VNIR+SWIR, 400-2500 nm, 490 bands), V-1240 (VNIR-only, 400-1000 nm, 200-400 bands), S-620 (SWIR-only, 970-2500 nm, 300 bands). Built on optical architecture derived from the HySpex ODIN. Sub-6.5 kg for VS-620; designed for UAV integration alongside GNSS/IMU. Push-broom imaging spectrometer with separate VNIR (InGaAs/CMOS) and SWIR (MCT) detectors co-aligned.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":490,"sampling_nm":1.5,"gsd_m":{"native":0.28},"swath_km":0.19,"bit_depth":12,"snr_typical":260,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":200,"sampling_nm":3,"gsd_m":{"native":0.14}},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":970,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":300,"sampling_nm":5.1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.28}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"hyspex-mjolnir-vs620-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-mjolnir/hyspex-mjolnir-vs-620/","title":"HySpex Mjolnir VS-620, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-mjolnir-v1240-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-mjolnir/mjolnir-v-1240","title":"HySpex Mjolnir V-1240, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-mjolnir-s620-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-mjolnir/mjolnir-s-620","title":"HySpex Mjolnir S-620, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-mjolnir-oem","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-mjolnir/mjolnir-oem-data-sheets","title":"HySpex Mjolnir OEM data sheets, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-datasheet","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: b56efa1e-9808-4afe-be47-06a7b6c8420a
slug: hyspex-odin
status: live
name: HySpex Classic
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: hyspex
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: airborne
aliases:
["HySpex VNIR-1800","HySpex SWIR-384","HySpex SWIR-640","HySpex VNIR-3000 N","HySpex VS-1200","HySpex Classic series","HySpex ODIN-1024"]

description:
HySpex Classic series: the full-size airborne and laboratory hyperspectral imaging spectrometer line from HySpex (NEO). Covers VNIR (400-1000 nm), SWIR (950-2500 nm), and combined VNIR+SWIR configurations at higher resolution and larger format than the Mjolnir family. Core airborne pairing: VNIR-1800 (1800 pixels, 186 bands, 0.16 mrad pixel FOV) + SWIR-384 (384 pixels, 288 bands, MCT cooled to 150K) or SWIR-640 (640 pixels). The VS-1200 is an integrated VNIR+SWIR system at 400-2500 nm. Designed for piloted research aircraft, field, and laboratory scanning. DLR uses VNIR-1800 + SWIR-384 as EnMAP airborne simulator. Superseded the ODIN-1024 line for the largest-format airborne role; ODIN-1024 was discontinued and removed from the current HySpex product catalogue.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":474,"sampling_nm":1.6,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48},"bit_depth":16,"snr_typical":1100,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1000},"spectral_band_count":186,"sampling_nm":1.6,"gsd_m":{"native":0.24}},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":950,"max":2500},"spectral_band_count":288,"sampling_nm":5.4,"gsd_m":{"native":1.1}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"hyspex-vnir1800-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-classic/vnir-1800","title":"HySpex VNIR-1800, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-swir384-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-classic/hyspex-swir-384","title":"HySpex SWIR-384, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-swir640-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-classic/swir-640","title":"HySpex SWIR-640, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-vnir3000n-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-classic/vnir-3000-n","title":"HySpex VNIR-3000 N, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyspex-vs1200-page","url":"https://www.hyspex.com/hyspex-products/hyspex-classic/vs-1200","title":"HySpex VS-1200, hyspex.com","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"usgs-hyspex-cripple-creek","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/data/hyspex-neo-vnir-1800-and-swir-384-imaging-spectrometer-radiance-and-reflectance-data","title":"HySpex by NEO VNIR-1800 and SWIR-384 data, Cripple Creek, 2017 (USGS Science Data Catalog)","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"chakraborty2024","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122089","title":"A Spectral and Spatial Comparison of Satellite-Based Hyperspectral Data for Geological Mapping, Remote Sensing 2024 16(12):2089","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: b244fb16-46ea-4a61-b785-e3cf0e85bdf8
slug: iceye-sar
status: live
name: ICEYE X-band SAR
aliases: ["ICEYE SAR","ICEYE SAR imager","ICEYE X-SAR"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: iceye
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
X-band synthetic aperture radar imager operating at 9.65 GHz, the sole imaging payload of the ICEYE satellite constellation. ICEYE has fielded three sensor generations: Gen 2 (300 MHz chirp bandwidth, 1 m finest resolution), Gen 3 (600 MHz, 0.5 m), and Gen 3.5 (1200 MHz, 0.25 m). All generations use VV single-polarisation and an electronically steered phased-array antenna. Modes span Dwell Precise (0.25 m, 5 x 5 km) through Scan Wide (27 m, 200 x 300 km). Satellites are ITAR-free and operate in sun-synchronous orbits. As of early 2026 the constellation comprises 60+ satellites.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"X","centre_frequency_mhz":9650,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":1200,"polarisation_modes":["VV"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[15,40],"notes":"Three sensor generations in the constellation. Gen 2: 300 MHz bandwidth, finest ground resolution 1 m. Gen 3: 600 MHz, finest 0.5 m. Gen 3.5: 1200 MHz, finest 0.25 m. chirp_bandwidth_mhz reflects Gen 3.5 maximum. All generations VV single-polarisation; no dual-pol or cross-pol mode available. Electronically steered phased-array. ITAR-free per ICEYE documentation. Gen 3.5 satellites also support mid-inclination orbits in addition to SSO.","modes":[{"name":"Dwell Precise","resolution_range_m":0.25,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.25,"swath_km":5,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Dwell Fine","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.5,"swath_km":5,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Spot Fine","resolution_range_m":0.5,"resolution_azimuth_m":0.5,"swath_km":5,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Dwell","resolution_range_m":1,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":5,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Spot","resolution_range_m":1,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":5,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Spot Extended Area","resolution_range_m":1,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":15,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Strip","resolution_range_m":3,"resolution_azimuth_m":3,"swath_km":30,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Scan","resolution_range_m":15,"resolution_azimuth_m":15,"swath_km":100,"polarisation":"VV"},{"name":"Scan Wide","resolution_range_m":27,"resolution_azimuth_m":27,"swath_km":200,"polarisation":"VV"}]}

sources:
[{"id":"iceye-product-spec-606","url":"https://sar.iceye.com/6.0.6/productspecification/imagingmodes/","title":"ICEYE Data Product Specification v6.0.6, Imaging Modes","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"iceye-product-spec-intro","url":"https://sar.iceye.com/6.0.6/productspecification/introduction/","title":"ICEYE Data Product Specification v6.0.6, Introduction","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"iceye-satellite-design","url":"https://www.iceye.com/satellites/design","title":"ICEYE satellite design page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: aa74940f-4052-47be-a74e-8f1007c73cea
slug: intuition-1-hsi
status: live
name: Intuition-1 Eagle HSI
aliases: ["Eagle hyperspectral camera","Intuition-1 HSI","Eagle HSI"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: kp-labs
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
192-band VNIR hyperspectral imager flown on the Intuition-1 6U CubeSat. 465-940 nm, 3-6 nm spectral resolution, 25 m GSD at 535 km, 40 km swath, push-broom CMOS with linear variable filters.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":465,"max":940},"spectral_band_count":192,"sampling_nm":3,"gsd_m":{"native":25},"swath_km":40,"bit_depth":8}

sources:
[{"id":"intuition-1-mission-page","url":"https://kplabs.space/intuition-1","title":"Intuition-1 mission page, KP Labs","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-intuition-1","url":"https://directory.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/intuition-1","title":"Intuition-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kp-labs-one-year","url":"https://kplabs.space/news/intuition-1-celebrating-a-year-of-technological-advancements-in-orbit","title":"Intuition-1: Celebrating a Year of Technological Advancements in Orbit, KP Labs","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 49bbc017-866a-427a-8ccc-565f46f3885a
slug: isis-16u-bus
status: live
name: ISIS 16U CubeSat Bus
aliases: ["ISIS 16U Platform","ISIS 12U/16U Platform","ISISPACE 16U Bus","ISISPACE 16U CubeSat Platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: isispace
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Largest standard CubeSat bus in the ISIS product line. Payload volume 8-12U. S-band TT&C with up to 0.5 Mbps downlink. Optional propulsion up to 2000 Ns. Comprehensive ADCS suite. Design lifetime up to 3 years.

bus:
{"payload_capacity_kg":12,"power_w":40,"form_factor":"16U CubeSat (CDS-compliant, 226 x 226 x 366 mm)"}

sources:
[{"id":"isispace-platforms-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/platforms/","title":"CubeSat Platforms, ISISPACE product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"cubesatshop-16u-bus","url":"https://www.cubesatshop.com/product/isis-12u-16u-cubesat-bus/","title":"ISISPACE 12U/16U CubeSat Bus, CubeSatShop product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satcatalog-16u-structure","url":"https://www.satcatalog.com/component/16-unit-cubesat-structure/","title":"16-Unit CubeSat Structure, SatCatalog","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isispace-imeps2-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/modular-electrical-power-system-2/","title":"ISISPACE Modular Electrical Power System (IMEPS2), product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isispace-launch-services","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/launch-equipment-services/","title":"Launch Equipment and Services, ISISPACE","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 29aa0847-b82a-464b-b585-d3bc92bba9b5
slug: isis-3u-bus
status: live
name: ISIS 3U CubeSat Bus
aliases: ["ISIS 3U Platform","ISISPACE 3U Bus","ISIS 3U CubeSat Platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: isispace
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Standardised 3U CubeSat bus by ISISPACE, the entry-level commercial platform in the ISIS line. PC/104-based stack architecture, ARM9 OBC, ICEPS compact EPS, VHF/UHF transceiver. Payload volume 1.5-2U. Design lifetime up to 3 years.

bus:
{"payload_capacity_kg":1.5,"power_w":15,"form_factor":"3U CubeSat (CDS-compliant, 100 x 100 x 340.5 mm)"}

sources:
[{"id":"isispace-platforms-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/platforms/","title":"CubeSat Platforms, ISISPACE product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isis-cdp-datasheet","url":"https://www.cubesatshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ISIS-CDP-DSH-0001-CubeSat_Development_Platform_Datasheet-01_02.pdf","title":"ISIS CubeSat Development Platform Datasheet, ISIS-CDP-DSH-0001 v1.2 (2023-09-15)","tier":"operator-datasheet","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isis-structures-brochure","url":"https://www.cubesatshop.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ISIS_CubeSat-Structures_Brochure_v.7.11.pdf","title":"ISIS CubeSat Structures Brochure v7.11","tier":"operator-datasheet","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isispace-iceps2-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/compact-electrical-power-system/","title":"ISISPACE Compact Electrical Power System (ICEPS2), product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: d5c0ef2f-8c8a-4050-b4b8-ed4aee76ae61
slug: isis-6u-bus
status: live
name: ISIS 6U CubeSat Bus
aliases: ["ISIS 6U Platform","ISIS 6UXL Platform","ISISPACE 6U Bus","ISISPACE 6U CubeSat Platform"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: isispace
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Mid-range 6U CubeSat bus by ISISPACE. Payload volume 2.5-3U (or 3U in XL configuration). Optional propulsion up to 2000 Ns. VHF/UHF comms with up to 0.5 Mbps downlink. Design lifetime up to 3 years. Heritage: BRIK-II (2021), CSC-1/2 (2023), Cassini constellation.

bus:
{"payload_capacity_kg":4,"power_w":20,"form_factor":"6U CubeSat (CDS-compliant, 100 x 226 x 366 mm)"}

sources:
[{"id":"isispace-platforms-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/platforms/","title":"CubeSat Platforms, ISISPACE product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"brik-ii-project-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/project/brik-ii-6u-cubesat/","title":"BRIK-II 6U CubeSat mission, ISISPACE project page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"csc-project-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/project/eu_csc/","title":"CubeSat Carrier (CSC) mission, ISISPACE project page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isispace-imeps2-page","url":"https://www.isispace.nl/product/modular-electrical-power-system-2/","title":"ISISPACE Modular Electrical Power System (IMEPS2), product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"gunters-brik2","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/brik-2.htm","title":"Brik-2, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 79c5f6cf-9afa-48b1-bc81-4779c5d8db9d
slug: longbow-bus
status: live
name: Longbow Satellite Platform
aliases: ["Longbow"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: loft-orbital
bus: {"form_factor":"medium LEO, approx 83 kg class as flown on YAM-3/5/6 per community sources"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Loft Orbital's standardised LEO satellite bus derived from the OneWeb constellation architecture, used across the YAM demonstration series and as the platform for the DESIR programme. Bus-agnostic Hub payload adapter attaches to Longbow, enabling payload-agnostic hosted-payload missions.

sources:
[{"id":"loft-desir-pr","url":"https://loftorbital.com/loft-selected-as-prime-contractor-for-frances-first-space-based-radar-imaging-program/","title":"Loft selected as prime contractor for DESIR, Loft Orbital press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"loft-physical-missions","url":"https://www.loftorbital.com/physical-missions","title":"Physical Missions, Loft Orbital","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"skyrocket-yam3","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/yam-3.htm","title":"YAM-3, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 2ad12f29-2524-4fa9-8e16-c80e4b9ad00b
slug: mapbiomas-alerta
status: live
name: MapBiomas Alerta
aliases: ["Alerta MapBiomas","MapBiomas Alert"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: mapbiomas
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Brazilian deforestation alert validation and refinement system operated by the MapBiomas coalition. Aggregates alerts from multiple monitoring platforms (DETER, SADs, GLAD, SIRAD-X) across all six Brazilian biomes, then validates and refines each event using PlanetScope satellite imagery at 3.7 m resolution via Google Earth Engine. Publishes weekly validated alert polygons with before-and-after imagery, pressure-vector attribution, and property-level reports searchable by CAR (Cadastro Ambiental Rural) code. Monitoring period January 2019 to present. Operationally distinct from the annual MapBiomas land-cover collection: Alerta detects discrete native vegetation loss events rather than classifying full landscapes. Coordinated by the same MapBiomas coalition (co-creators include LAPIG, Imazon, IPAM, SOS Mata Atlantica, UFRGS, and approximately 14 further universities and NGOs); technical collaborators include IDS, The Nature Conservancy, Imaflora, ISA, and WWF. The manufacturer FK resolves to the mapbiomas consortium company entry; INPE contributes data feeds and participates in the Scientific Advisory Committee but is not an operating institution for Alerta.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Alert aggregation from DETER (INPE), SAD-Imazon, SAD-Geodatin, SAD-SOS Mata Atlantica/ArcPlan, SAD-GeoKarten/UFRGS, SAD-IPAM/LAPIG, SIRAD-X radar (ISA/Xingu+), and GLAD (University of Maryland) across all six Brazilian biomes","PlanetScope 3.7 m resolution visual validation and false-positive rejection by trained analysts","Supervised Random Forest boundary refinement via Google Earth Engine, with training samples drawn from high-resolution before-and-after image pairs","Spatial overlay with CAR rural property registry, indigenous lands, protected areas, embargoed zones, and forest management plans; property-level reports for alerts over 0.3 ha","Pressure-vector attribution (agriculture, mining, urbanisation, and others) tracked since 2021","Weekly publication on the MapBiomas Alerta platform with API access, QGIS plugin, and shapefile/Excel downloads"]}

sources:
[{"id":"alerta-home","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/","title":"MapBiomas Alerta, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alerta-home-en","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/en","title":"MapBiomas Alerta, home (English)","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alerta-metodo","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/metodo-mapbiomas-alerta/","title":"MapBiomas Alerta, methodology","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alerta-faq","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/perguntas-frequentes/","title":"MapBiomas Alerta, FAQ","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alerta-terms","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/termos-de-uso/","title":"MapBiomas Alerta, terms of use","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 568f399b-6e9e-409b-8996-c4ae59600edc
slug: mapbiomas
status: live
name: MapBiomas
aliases: ["MapBiomas Network","MapBiomas Brasil"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: mapbiomas
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Multi-institution coalition initiative producing annual land cover and land use maps for Brazil and an expanding set of Latin American, Caribbean, and Indonesian jurisdictions. Built on the complete Landsat archive (1985 onward) processed through Google Earth Engine with per-biome random forest classifiers; Collection 10.1 released February 2026 covers Brazil at 30 m with 29 classes across 1985 to 2024. Companion alert product MapBiomas Alerta runs weekly. Coordinated by an independent scientific team led by Tasso Azevedo (general), Julia Shimbo (scientific), and Marcos Rosa (technical), with biome-specific leadership from IPAM Amazonia (Cerrado), Imazon (Amazon degradation), SOS Mata Atlantica (Atlantic Forest), and UFRGS (Pampa). INPE participates only via the Scientific Advisory Committee and is not the operator. The manufacturer FK resolves to the mapbiomas consortium company entry.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Annual land cover and land use classification (random forest per biome, Landsat 30 m, 1985 to present in Brazil)","Sentinel-2 10 m Collection 2 beta product (parallel finer-resolution track)","Regional initiatives across 11 countries plus 4 multinational regions (Pan-Amazonia, Gran Chaco, Atlantic Forest, Pampa)","Annual deforestation and secondary vegetation regrowth analytics within the land-cover collection","Open access to all maps, methods, and code under CC BY-SA 4.0"]}

sources:
[{"id":"brasil-mapbiomas-home","url":"https://brasil.mapbiomas.org/en","title":"MapBiomas Brasil, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"brasil-mapbiomas-metodo","url":"https://brasil.mapbiomas.org/en/metodo","title":"MapBiomas Brasil, methodology","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"brasil-mapbiomas-quemsomos","url":"https://brasil.mapbiomas.org/en/quem-somos/","title":"MapBiomas Brasil, who we are","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"brasil-mapbiomas-iniciativas","url":"https://brasil.mapbiomas.org/en/iniciativas","title":"MapBiomas Brasil, regional initiatives","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"alerta-mapbiomas","url":"https://alerta.mapbiomas.org/","title":"MapBiomas Alerta","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"souza-2020-rs","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rs12172735","title":"Souza Jr. et al. 2020, Reconstructing three decades of land use and land cover changes in Brazilian biomes with Landsat archive and Earth Engine, Remote Sensing","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 22802184-b430-4800-b5c9-3a8fecdbb881
slug: modis
status: live
name: MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer)
aliases: ["Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer","MODIS-Terra","MODIS-Aqua"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: nasa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Whiskbroom multispectral scanning spectroradiometer, 36 discrete bands from 405 to 14385 nm (visible through thermal infrared), daily global coverage at 250/500/1000 m GSD per band group. Two flight units: MODIS-Terra (launched December 1999, orbit drifted to about 9:06 AM equatorial crossing as of December 2025, power-constrained) and MODIS-Aqua (launched May 2002, in free-drift since December 2021, passivation scheduled Fall 2026; MODIS itself remains operational on both spacecraft). Built by Raytheon SBRS (formerly Hughes SBRS / Santa Barbara Research Center) under NASA contract, with NASA GSFC holding science leadership. Foundational input to global vegetation time-series and deforestation monitoring (MOD13Q1 NDVI/EVI, MCD64A1 burned area, MOD14 active fire).

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":405,"max":14385},"spectral_band_count":36,"gsd_m":{"native":250},"swath_km":2330,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"modis-specs","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/specifications.php","title":"MODIS Technical Specifications, NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"modis-design","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/design.php","title":"MODIS Instrument Design, NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"modis-about","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/","title":"About MODIS, NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"terra-site","url":"https://terra.nasa.gov/","title":"Terra Mission, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"aqua-site","url":"https://aqua.nasa.gov/","title":"Aqua Mission, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"modis-vi","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/dataprod/mod13.php","title":"MODIS Vegetation Index Products (MOD13), NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 3fc0943f-b859-4d9d-b5b6-167ae2f1e077
slug: msi
status: live
name: MSI (MultiSpectral Instrument)
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: airbus-ds
last_verified_date: "2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
High-resolution multispectral pushbroom imager and sole payload of the Sentinel-2 satellite series. 13 discrete bands across visible to shortwave infrared, 10/20/60 m native GSD per band group. Not an imaging spectrometer.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":443,"max":2202},"spectral_band_count":13,"gsd_m":{"native":10},"swath_km":290,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"esa-msi-tech-guide","url":"https://sentinel.esa.int/en/web/sentinel/technical-guides/sentinel-2-msi/msi-instrument","title":"Sentinel-2 MSI Instrument (ESA Sentinel Online Technical Guide)","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"sentiwiki-s2-mission","url":"https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s2-mission","title":"S2 Mission (Copernicus SentiWiki)","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-s2","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/copernicus-sentinel-2","title":"Copernicus Sentinel-2 (ESA eoPortal Directory)","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-s2c-transfer-of-duty","url":"https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/-/copernicus-sentinel-2-mission-update-transfer-of-duty-from-sentinel-2a-to-sentinel-2c-on-21-january-2025","title":"Transfer of Duty from Sentinel-2A to Sentinel-2C on 21 January 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-s2a-extended-campaign","url":"https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/-/sentinel-2a-extended-campaign-starting-march-13-2025","title":"Sentinel-2A Extended Campaign Starting March 13, 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"ec-s2a-extension","url":"https://defence-industry-space.ec.europa.eu/sentinel-2a-extending-operations-meet-user-needs-2025-02-06_en","title":"Sentinel-2A extending operations to meet user needs (EC DG DEFIS)","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 4035c01e-5e26-45d4-93ba-e55b3027848d
slug: oli-2
status: live
name: OLI-2 (Operational Land Imager-2)
aliases: ["Operational Land Imager-2","Landsat 9 OLI-2"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: nasa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Multispectral pushbroom optical imager, primary instrument on Landsat 9 (launched 27 September 2021; USGS operational control from 11 August 2022). Built by Ball Aerospace (acquired by BAE Systems February 2024) under NASA contract. Same 9-band configuration as OLI on Landsat 8, but upgraded to 14-bit quantization (vs 12-bit), yielding 16,384 vs 4,096 grey levels and improving radiometric discrimination of dark targets including closed-canopy tropical forest. 30 m GSD (15 m panchromatic), 185 km swath, 705 km sun-synchronous orbit. With Landsat 8 OLI provides 8-day combined revisit, the operational base for GLAD-L pantropical deforestation alerts.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":430,"max":2290},"spectral_band_count":9,"gsd_m":{"native":30,"resampled":15},"swath_km":185,"bit_depth":14}

sources:
[{"id":"usgs-l9","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-9","title":"Landsat 9, USGS Landsat Missions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"nasa-l9","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat-9/","title":"Landsat 9, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-l9","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/l/landsat-9","title":"Landsat-9, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"bae-acquisition","url":"https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-completes-acquisition-of-ball-aerospace","title":"BAE Systems completes acquisition of Ball Aerospace","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: c0032c1f-e7fe-477c-9bc7-442e86f52707
slug: oli
status: live
name: OLI (Operational Land Imager)
aliases: ["Operational Land Imager","Landsat 8 OLI"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: nasa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Multispectral pushbroom optical imager, primary instrument on Landsat 8 (launched 11 February 2013). Built by Ball Aerospace under NASA contract; Ball acquired by BAE Systems on 16 February 2024. NASA owns the space segment; USGS operates the ground segment and distributes data at no cost. 9 spectral bands across visible/NIR/SWIR plus panchromatic and cirrus, 30 m GSD (15 m panchromatic), 185 km swath, 12-bit acquisition. Combined 8-day revisit with Landsat 9 OLI-2 underpins GLAD-L pantropical deforestation alerts and the Hansen Global Forest Change annual dataset.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":430,"max":2300},"spectral_band_count":9,"gsd_m":{"native":30,"resampled":15},"swath_km":185,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"usgs-l8","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-8","title":"Landsat 8, USGS Landsat Missions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"nasa-l8","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat-8","title":"Landsat 8, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-l8","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/l/landsat-8-ldcm","title":"Landsat-8 LDCM, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"bae-acquisition","url":"https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/bae-systems-completes-acquisition-of-ball-aerospace","title":"BAE Systems completes acquisition of Ball Aerospace, BAE Systems press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"glad-dataset","url":"https://glad.umd.edu/dataset/glad-forest-alerts","title":"GLAD Forest Alerts, University of Maryland GLAD Lab","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 9b656a93-498e-47fc-b553-769a71fcac3a
slug: osk-sigma
status: live
name: OSK SIGMA
aliases: ["SIGMA","Spectral Intelligence Global Monitoring Application"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: orbital-sidekick
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Commercial hyperspectral analytics platform operated by Orbital Sidekick (OSK), San Francisco. SIGMA (Spectral Intelligence Global Monitoring Application) delivers analyst access to the GHOSt (Global Hyperspectral Observation Satellite) constellation: tasked acquisition, archive search, automated change-detection alerts, and spectral analytics outputs. GHOSt covers 400-2500 nm VIS-SWIR in 512 contiguous bands (per eoPortal; Gunter Space Page hedges this as 400-plus) at approximately 8 m GSD from a 525 km sun-synchronous orbit. Primary customer verticals are mining and mineral exploration (SWIR alteration mineral mapping, target generation), energy infrastructure monitoring (pipeline corrosion, hydrocarbon seep detection, emissions), and defence and intelligence customers. In-Q-Tel backed. Founded 2016. Structurally comparable to a commercial analytics subscription service rather than an open-data portal: access requires a commercial contract covering tasking, archive, and processed output.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Hyperspectral archive search and tasked acquisition access via the GHOSt constellation (400-2500 nm VIS-SWIR, 512 contiguous bands per eoPortal, approximately 8 m GSD, 525 km SSO)","Alteration mineral mapping and spectral target generation using SWIR diagnostic features (2100-2500 nm range covering clay, carbonate, and sulphate mineral groups) for mining and mineral exploration workflows","Mine-site monitoring with temporal hyperspectral change detection for operational mines and exploration programmes","Automated change-detection alert pipelines for energy infrastructure: pipeline corrosion detection, hydrocarbon seep identification, and emissions monitoring","Defence and intelligence hyperspectral analytics with dual-use government and commercial access model; In-Q-Tel backed","Commercial subscription access model bundling tasking, archive, automated alerts, and spectral analytics outputs"]}

sources:
[{"id":"gunter-ghost1","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/ghost-1.htm","title":"GHOSt-1, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"sfn-t7","url":"https://spaceflightnow.com/2023/04/15/spacex-launches-transporter-7-rideshare-mission/","title":"SpaceX launches Transporter-7 rideshare mission, Spaceflight Now","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"osk-spie-2024","url":"https://doi.org/10.1117/12.3019571","title":"Spectral and radiometric calibration of the GHOSt hyperspectral payload, SPIE Defense + Commercial Sensing 2024","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 73be0cf5-639a-4a46-896f-30abcba1a4e1
slug: palsar-2
status: live
name: PALSAR-2
aliases: ["Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar 2"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: jaxa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Active phased-array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, sole imaging payload of the ALOS-2 satellite. Operated by JAXA, built by Mitsubishi Electric. Operates at L-band (centre frequency 1257.5 MHz, wavelength about 23.84 cm), enabling deep canopy penetration for tropical forest disturbance detection. Six resolution modes (Spotlight, Stripmap Ultrafine/High-Sensitive/Fine, ScanSAR Normal/Wide). Backbone of the JJ-FAST tropical deforestation alert system and JAXA's Annual Forest/Non-Forest Mosaic.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"L","centre_frequency_mhz":1257.5,"chirp_bandwidth_mhz":84,"polarisation_modes":["HH","VV","HH+HV","VV+VH","HH+HV+VH+VV"],"incidence_angle_range_deg":[8,70],"transmit_power_w":6100,"antenna_length_m":9.9,"swath_km":350,"modes":[{"name":"ScanSAR Normal","resolution_range_m":100,"swath_km":350,"polarisation":"HH or HH+HV"},{"name":"ScanSAR Wide","resolution_range_m":60,"swath_km":490,"polarisation":"HH or HH+HV"},{"name":"Stripmap Fine","resolution_range_m":10,"swath_km":40,"polarisation":"HH or VV or HH+HV or VV+VH"},{"name":"Stripmap High-Sensitive","resolution_range_m":6,"swath_km":50},{"name":"Stripmap Ultrafine","resolution_range_m":3,"swath_km":50},{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":3,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":25}],"notes":"Centre frequency 1257.5 MHz nominal (selectable 1236.5/1257.5/1278.5 MHz). Bandwidth selectable 14/28/42/84 MHz. Antenna 2.9 m x 9.9 m, 180 TRMs, instrument mass about 657 kg. PRF approximately 2250 Hz. Side-looking, switchable right or left."}

sources:
[{"id":"jaxa-eorc-palsar2","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS-2/en/about/palsar2.htm","title":"PALSAR-2 instrument overview, JAXA EORC","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-alos2","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/alos-2","title":"ALOS-2 mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jaxa-eorc-index","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/index_e.htm","title":"JAXA EORC ALOS-2 index, operational status and dataset releases","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jaxa-fnf-mosaic","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS/en/dataset/fnf_e.htm","title":"JAXA PALSAR/PALSAR-2 Annual Forest/Non-Forest Map","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: bbe4a4a8-e6f2-4f19-a3a7-3f3e6183a87b
slug: palsar-3
status: live
name: PALSAR-3
aliases: ["Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar 3"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: jaxa
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Active phased-array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar, sole imaging payload of the ALOS-4 satellite (launched 1 July 2024). Operated by JAXA, built on the JAXA Advanced Satellite Bus-3 by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation. Operates at L-band (selectable centre frequencies 1236.5 / 1257.5 / 1278.5 MHz), enabling deep canopy penetration for tropical forest disturbance detection. Principal advance over PALSAR-2 is the wider ScanSAR swath at finer resolution: 700 km swath at 25 m resolution versus PALSAR-2 350 km swath at 100 m. Stripmap modes 3 to 10 m resolution; Spotlight 3 by 1 m over 35 km scene. Dual polarisation (HH+HV) confirmed.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"sar","measurement_principle":"active","frequency_band":"L","centre_frequency_mhz":1257.5,"polarisation_modes":["HH","HH+HV"],"swath_km":700,"modes":[{"name":"ScanSAR Wide","resolution_range_m":25,"swath_km":700,"polarisation":"HH or HH+HV"},{"name":"Stripmap Fine","resolution_range_m":10,"swath_km":200},{"name":"Stripmap High-Sensitive","resolution_range_m":6,"swath_km":100},{"name":"Stripmap Ultrafine","resolution_range_m":3,"swath_km":100},{"name":"Spotlight","resolution_range_m":3,"resolution_azimuth_m":1,"swath_km":35}],"notes":"Centre frequency selectable 1236.5/1257.5/1278.5 MHz, wavelength about 23.84 cm at nominal. Side-looking phased-array, multi-mode, selectable incidence. Secondary AIS payload (SPAISE3) is independent of the imaging mission."}

sources:
[{"id":"jaxa-eorc-alos4","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS-4/en/about/about.htm","title":"ALOS-4 Outline (carries PALSAR-3 spec), JAXA EORC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"jaxa-alos4-launch","url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/07/20240701-1_e.html","title":"ALOS-4 launch press release, JAXA","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-alos4","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/alos-4","title":"ALOS-4 mission profile (PALSAR-3 specifications), eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 95feb0a8-5634-4d2e-9af6-512879dbffed
slug: pixxel-firefly-bus
status: live
name: Pixxel Firefly Bus
aliases: ["Firefly bus"]
kind: bus
product_status: operational
manufacturer: pixxel
bus: {"form_factor":"Custom microsatellite, approximately 60 kg class, sun-synchronous orbit"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
In-house-designed satellite bus underlying the six Pixxel Firefly satellites (FFLY-1 to FFLY-6). Custom rectangular microsatellite platform at approximately 60 kg total satellite mass (bus and payload combined; mass split not published). Flies in sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km altitude. Propulsion on FFLY-1, FFLY-2, and FFLY-3 confirmed as Dawn Aerospace SatDrive green bi-propellant system (nitrous oxide and propene); propulsion for FFLY-4, FFLY-5, and FFLY-6 not separately confirmed. Peak downlink exceeding 500 Mbps reported in orbit; downlink frequency band not published. Pointing to tasked coordinates validated in-orbit; numeric pointing budget not published. Assembled, integrated, and tested at MegaPixxel, Pixxel's 30,000-plus square-foot Spacecraft AIT facility in Bengaluru (ISO Class 7 and 8 cleanrooms, capacity approximately 40 satellites per year). Platform is also licensed to Cosmoserve for an active debris removal demonstration mission (2026).

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-status-report","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/knowledge-hub/six-months-in-orbit-firefly-status-check-1","title":"Six Months in Orbit: Firefly Status Check, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"megapixxel-press","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-opens-first-of-its-kind-spacecraft-manufacturing-facility-in-bengaluru-india","title":"MegaPixxel spacecraft manufacturing facility launch, Pixxel press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"idex-announce","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-signs-idex-spark-grant-agreement-to-develop-hyperspectral-and-mwir-payloads-for-the-indian-air-force","title":"Pixxel iDEX SPARK Grant for Indian Air Force payloads","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"dawn-heritage","url":"https://www.dawnaerospace.com/heritage-and-missions","title":"Dawn Aerospace heritage and missions, Pixxel constellation SatDrive listing","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"skyrocket","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1-6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"cosmoserve-press","url":"https://evertiq.com/design/2026-05-15-pixxel-space-cosmoserve-to-boost-space-debris-removal","title":"Pixxel teams up with Cosmoserve for space debris removal, Evertiq 2026","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 02540274-e05a-408c-ab33-0179bc0423fa
slug: pixxel-firefly-imager
status: live
name: Pixxel Firefly hyperspectral imager
aliases: ["Firefly imager","FFLY imager","Pixxel Firefly sensor"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: pixxel
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: operator
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Pushbroom VNIR hyperspectral imaging spectrometer, primary payload on Pixxel's six-satellite Firefly constellation. Designed, built, and integrated in-house by Pixxel at its MegaPixxel facility in Bengaluru. Captures 135 contiguous bands from 470 to 900 nm at 5.4 m native GSD and a 40 km swath. A material delivery constraint: users select up to 45 of the 135 bands per capture; only the selected 45 are downlinked per scene. Atmospheric correction via piSOFIT, Pixxel's implementation of NASA JPL ISOFIT using a neural-network MODTRAN emulator with per-pixel Bayesian uncertainty estimates. All 6 Firefly satellites (FFLY 1-3 launched January 2025, FFLY 4-6 launched August 2025) are operational as of May 2026. NASA CSDA program vendor, contract through November 2028.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":470,"max":900},"spectral_band_count":135,"gsd_m":{"native":5.4},"swath_km":40,"bit_depth":10}

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-docs","url":"https://docs.pixxel.space/documentation/satellite_and_imagery/constellation_overview","title":"Pixxel Constellation Overview, Pixxel Documentation Portal","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"pixxel-product-page","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/firefly","title":"Firefly hyperspectral satellites product page, Pixxel","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"pixxel-pisofit","url":"https://support.pixxel.space/hc/en-us/articles/20497730652700-Atmospheric-Correction-ISOFIT-model","title":"Atmospheric Correction (ISOFIT model), Pixxel Support","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"nasa-csda","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/csda/csda-vendor-pixxel/","title":"CSDA Vendor Pixxel, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"ffly-launch1","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-worlds-highest-resolution-hyperspectral-satellites-kickstarts-firefly-constellation-for-climate-action","title":"Pixxel Launches World's Highest-Resolution Hyperspectral Satellites, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"ffly-launch2","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-three-more-fireflies-with-spacex-paving-the-way-for-planetary-scale-hyperspectral-imaging","title":"Pixxel Launches Three More Fireflies with SpaceX, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"pixxel-6months","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/knowledge-hub/six-months-in-orbit-firefly-status-check-1","title":"Six Months in Orbit, Firefly Status Check, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 0fa99540-80bb-440f-be68-4feb26f82437
slug: prisma-hsi
status: live
name: PRISMA HSI (Hyperspectral Imager)
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: asi
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: community
claim_status: agency-verified
deployment_context: orbital
aliases:
["PRISMA hyperspectral","PRISMA instrument","PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa HSI"]

description:
Pushbroom dual-detector hyperspectral imaging spectrometer on the PRISMA satellite, operated by the Italian Space Agency (ASI). 239 contiguous channels covering 400-2505 nm (66 VNIR channels at 400-1010 nm plus 173 SWIR channels at 920-2505 nm), 30 m GSD, 30 km swath, 12-bit quantization. Co-registered panchromatic channel at 5 m GSD. Launched 22 March 2019; the earliest of the three full-VNIR-SWIR civilian hyperspectral missions in routine operation. SWIR coverage to 2505 nm spans the diagnostic absorption features of clay, carbonate, sulphate, and phyllosilicate alteration minerals central to mineral exploration targeting.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":2505},"spectral_band_count":239,"gsd_m":{"native":30,"resampled":5},"swath_km":30,"bit_depth":12,"snr_typical":200,"channels":[{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":1010},"spectral_band_count":66,"sampling_nm":12,"gsd_m":{"native":30}},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":920,"max":2505},"spectral_band_count":173,"sampling_nm":12,"gsd_m":{"native":30}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-prisma","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/prisma-hyperspectral","title":"PRISMA hyperspectral mission, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"asi-prisma-page","url":"https://www.asi.it/en/earth-science/prisma/","title":"PRISMA mission overview, ASI Earth Science","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"loizzo-igarss-2018","url":"https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/8519214","title":"Loizzo et al. 2018, PRISMA: The Italian Hyperspectral Mission, IGARSS 2018","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"chakraborty-2024","url":"https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16122089","title":"Chakraborty et al. 2024, A Spectral and Spatial Comparison of Satellite-Based Hyperspectral Data for Geological Mapping, Remote Sensing","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z","publication_date":"2024-06-09T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: f587f7c3-e012-4449-a594-6980227b32cd
slug: satelligence-platform
status: live
name: Satelligence Platform
aliases: ["Satelligence EUDR Platform"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: operational
manufacturer: satelligence
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Commercial SaaS analysis service from Satelligence B.V. (Utrecht, NL) covering deforestation alerts, EUDR supply-chain due diligence, DCF (Deforestation and Conversion Free) verification, NDPE monitoring, and Scope 3 land-use emissions tracking. Combines Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Landsat, and PlanetScope inputs standardised to 10 m primary resolution. ML stack: Random Forest and Gradient Boosting for land-cover classification, Deep Learning for radar noise filtering, Bayesian iterative updating for change tracking. EY ISAE 3000 Type 1 certified, ISO 27001, Verra and PlanVivo approved, CDP-accredited. Used by Unilever, Cargill, Mondelez, Nestle, PepsiCo, Bunge, Wilmar, IKEA, and 50+ other major buyers. Annual subscription by cultivation area. Direct API integration to the EU Due Diligence Registry.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Deforestation detection across Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, Landsat, and optional PlanetScope, standardised at 10 m primary resolution","EUDR plot-level due diligence with direct DDS submission via the EU registry API; throughput up to 200,000 plots per day on the Standard plan","DCF (Deforestation and Conversion Free) supply-chain verification covering forest, savannahs, grasslands, and wetlands","NDPE (No Deforestation, Peat, Exploitation) daily alerts; primary focus on Southeast Asia, global coverage","Scope 3 land-use change emissions tracking with 40 years of annual farm-level history; GHG Protocol, SBTi FLAG, and CSRD compliant","Ecoregion-specific and per-commodity algorithm calibration drawing on approximately 200 million ground truth validation points"]}

sources:
[{"id":"satelligence-faq","url":"https://satelligence.com/faq/","title":"Satelligence FAQ, satellite data, ML methods, accuracy","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satelligence-traceability","url":"https://satelligence.com/satellite-supply-chain-traceability-monitoring/","title":"Satelligence, satellite supply chain traceability monitoring","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satelligence-eudr","url":"https://satelligence.com/eudr","title":"Satelligence EUDR Due Diligence Platform","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satelligence-scope3","url":"https://satelligence.com/scope-3","title":"Satelligence Scope 3 Emissions Tracking","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satelligence-radd","url":"https://satelligence.com/radd/","title":"RADD, Radar Alerts for Detecting Deforestation","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satelligence-google","url":"https://satelligence.com/satelligence-launches-on-google-cloud-marketplace/","title":"Satelligence launches on Google Cloud Marketplace","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"compasslist-satelligence","url":"https://www.compasslist.com/insights/satelligence-satellite-data-and-ai-helping-corporate-giants-source-commodities-more-sustainably","title":"CompassList, Satelligence: satellite data and AI for sustainable sourcing","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 22a5dd16-20cd-4de1-aabd-d40afbc9b5b1
slug: sentinel-2-platform
status: live
name: Sentinel-2 Platform
kind: bus
manufacturer: airbus-ds
bus: {"payload_capacity_kg":290,"power_w":1700,"form_factor":"ESA dedicated EO platform"}
last_verified_date: "2026-05-08T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Airbus Defence and Space spacecraft platform for the Sentinel-2 missions. Approximately 1140 kg launch mass, designed for a sun-synchronous orbit at 786 km.


atlas_id: 40e99dbe-da5e-47d4-9ebc-d63b8ec9b3fd
slug: sw-refcal-analysis
status: live
name: RefCal Cross-Sensor Calibration
aliases: ["SpectraWorks RefCal","RefCal","RefCal-v0"]
kind: analysis-service
product_status: in-development
manufacturer: spectraworks
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: claimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Cross-sensor spectral calibration and harmonisation service developed by SpectraWorks B.V. Ingests Level-1 radiance data from multiple spaceborne hyperspectral and multispectral instruments and applies a physics-based calibration refinement model (CRM) to produce radiometrically harmonised, cross-sensor comparable reflectance products. Initial focus: VNIR-range sensors including HyperScout-2, EnMAP, EMIT, and Sentinel-2. Designed to run as a post-processing analysis layer downstream of any EO sensor whose L1 data is accessible.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Cross-sensor radiometric harmonisation (VNIR 400-1000 nm)","Calibration residual estimation and CI propagation","Spectral resampling to common spectral basis","L1-to-L2 reflectance conversion with atmospheric correction"]}


atlas_id: a5ee3435-cb6c-49b5-9251-900a80b0e521
slug: worldview-2-imager
status: live
name: WorldView-2 Imager
aliases: ["WV110","WV-2 Imager","WorldView-2 WV110"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: vantor
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Eight-band (plus panchromatic) VNIR pushbroom imager on the WorldView-2 satellite, operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence / DigitalGlobe). The WV110 instrument was built by ITT Corporation on a Ball Aerospace BCP-5000 spacecraft. Launched 8 October 2009. Panchromatic GSD 0.46 m at nadir (450-800 nm); 8-band multispectral GSD 1.84 m at nadir covering Coastal Blue through NIR2 (396-1043 nm). 16.4 km swath at nadir. The first commercial satellite sensor to offer 8-band multispectral imaging. Extended operational service since design life expired January 2017.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":396,"max":1043},"spectral_band_count":9,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84},"swath_km":16.4,"channels":[{"name":"Panchromatic","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":800},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.46}},{"name":"Coastal Blue","spectral_range_nm":{"min":396,"max":458},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"Blue","spectral_range_nm":{"min":442,"max":515},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"Green","spectral_range_nm":{"min":506,"max":586},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"Yellow","spectral_range_nm":{"min":584,"max":632},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"Red","spectral_range_nm":{"min":630,"max":690},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"Red Edge","spectral_range_nm":{"min":699,"max":749},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"NIR1","spectral_range_nm":{"min":765,"max":901},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}},{"name":"NIR2","spectral_range_nm":{"min":856,"max":1043},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":1.84}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wv2","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-2","title":"WorldView-2, eoPortal Directory (WV110 spectral table)","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-eog-wv2","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/worldview-2","title":"WorldView-2, ESA EO Gateway mission record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-wv2","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-2","title":"WorldView-2, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 44d0d272-c4da-4c45-86e7-1b67eeb135ff
slug: worldview-legion-imager
status: live
name: WorldView Legion Imager
aliases: ["Spaceview-NG","WorldView Legion sensor","Legion imager"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: vantor
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Nine-band (1 panchromatic + 8 multispectral) pushbroom imager carried on each of the six WorldView Legion satellites, operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence). Developed by Maxar Space Systems (now Lanteris Space Systems) with sensor collaboration from Raytheon. Native GSD 0.29 m panchromatic and 0.48 m multispectral at nadir from a 450 km mid-inclination orbit. 9 km swath at nadir. Spectral coverage 400-920 nm across 8 VNIR multispectral bands plus panchromatic 450-800 nm. The constellation of six satellites enables up to 15 revisits per day above a 15-degree sun angle, representing a 30x improvement in collection capacity over prior single-satellite WorldView missions. Designated the Spaceview-NG (Next Generation Spaceview) imager in WMO OSCAR records. No published cross-calibration standard between individual constellation units.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":920},"spectral_band_count":9,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48},"swath_km":9,"channels":[{"name":"Panchromatic","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":800},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.29}},{"name":"Coastal","spectral_range_nm":{"min":400,"max":500},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Blue","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":510},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Green","spectral_range_nm":{"min":510,"max":580},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Yellow","spectral_range_nm":{"min":585,"max":625},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Red","spectral_range_nm":{"min":630,"max":690},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Red Edge 1","spectral_range_nm":{"min":695,"max":715},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Red Edge 2","spectral_range_nm":{"min":730,"max":750},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}},{"name":"Near-IR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":780,"max":920},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.48}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wvl","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-legion","title":"WorldView Legion, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satimaging-wvl","url":"https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/worldview-legion/","title":"WorldView Legion technical specifications, Satellite Imaging Corporation","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-wvl1","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/worldview_legion_1","title":"WorldView Legion-1, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-wvlegion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView_Legion","title":"WorldView Legion, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 7799b5e7-0cdc-451b-b981-66a67b0472c5
slug: wv-3-imager
status: live
name: WorldView-3 Imager
aliases: ["WV-3 Imager","WorldView-3 SWIR","WorldView-3 multispectral imager"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: vantor
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Four-subsystem multispectral pushbroom imager on the WorldView-3 satellite, operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence / DigitalGlobe). Launched 13 August 2014 aboard Atlas V 401 into a 617 km sun-synchronous orbit at 97.97 degrees inclination. Imager built by ITT Exelis (now L3Harris Technologies) on a Ball Aerospace BCP-5000 spacecraft. Four focal plane array subsystems: panchromatic at 0.31 m GSD (450-800 nm); 8-band VNIR multispectral at 1.24 m GSD (397-1039 nm); 8-band SWIR multispectral at 3.70 m GSD (1195-2365 nm); 12-band CAVIS at 30 m GSD (405-2245 nm) for atmospheric correction. Commercial, tasked-acquisition only, no open archive. The 3.70 m SWIR subsystem is the only operational commercial imager capable of resolving alteration mineral assemblages at outcrop scale, making WV-3 the standard tool for drill-target confirmation after regional hyperspectral surveys. Operational since 2014, exceeded 7.25-year design life, estimated service life 10-12 years.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":397,"max":2365},"spectral_band_count":29,"gsd_m":{"native":1.24},"swath_km":13.1,"bit_depth":11,"channels":[{"name":"Panchromatic","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":800},"spectral_band_count":1,"gsd_m":{"native":0.31}},{"name":"VNIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":397,"max":1039},"spectral_band_count":8,"gsd_m":{"native":1.24}},{"name":"SWIR","spectral_range_nm":{"min":1195,"max":2365},"spectral_band_count":8,"gsd_m":{"native":3.7}},{"name":"CAVIS","spectral_range_nm":{"min":405,"max":2245},"spectral_band_count":12,"gsd_m":{"native":30}}]}

sources:
[{"id":"satimaging-wv3","url":"https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/worldview-3/","title":"WorldView-3 technical specifications, Satellite Imaging Corporation","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"eoportal-wv3","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-3","title":"WorldView-3, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wikipedia-wv3","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-3","title":"WorldView-3, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wikipedia-vantor","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantor_(company)","title":"Vantor (company), Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kruse-2015","url":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2016.1176620","title":"WorldView-3 Short-Wave Infrared Imagery: Successful Applications in Mineral Mapping, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: c8d351c9-2056-43e2-baf2-a7b0d8785206
slug: xscape100
status: live
name: xScape100
aliases: ["xScape100","TriScape100","MultiScape100"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: simera-sense
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Simera Sense 1.5U CubeSat optical payload family for high-resolution Earth observation. Primary multispectral variant (MultiScape100) delivers 8-band VNIR imagery (1 panchromatic + 7 bands, 450-900 nm) at 4.75 m GSD from 500 km, 19.4 km swath, 12-bit, 4096 pixels across-track, 32-stage digital TDI. TriScape100 RGB/video variant and HyperScape100 hyperspectral variant share the same 1.5U platform.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":900},"spectral_band_count":8,"gsd_m":{"native":4.75},"swath_km":19.4,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"multiscape100-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/multiscape100/","title":"MultiScape100, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"triscape100-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/triscape100/","title":"TriScape100, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"cameras-overview","url":"https://simera-sense.com/cameras/","title":"Optical Cameras for Small Satellite Imagers, Simera Sense","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"isispace-selection","url":"https://www.simera-sense.com/innovative-solutions-in-space-selects-simera-sense-to-deliver-optical-payloads/","title":"Innovative Solutions in Space selects Simera Sense, press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: f0b5985f-639a-4a07-a555-036830fa03a8
slug: xscape200
status: live
name: xScape200
aliases: ["xScape200","TriScape200","MultiScape200"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: simera-sense
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Simera Sense 12U CubeSat optical payload family for high-resolution Earth observation. Primary multispectral variant (MultiScape200) delivers 8-band VNIR imagery (1 panchromatic + 7 bands, 450-900 nm) at 1.5 m GSD from 500 km, 14 km swath, 12-bit, 8192 pixels across-track, 32-stage digital TDI. TriScape200 RGB/video variant on the same 12U platform at 65.4 MP (9344 x 7000 pixels).

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":900},"spectral_band_count":8,"gsd_m":{"native":1.5},"swath_km":14,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"multiscape200-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/multiscape200/","title":"MultiScape200, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"triscape200-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/triscape200/","title":"TriScape200, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"orbitaltransports-ms200","url":"https://catalog.orbitaltransports.com/multiscape200/","title":"MultiScape200 CIS, Orbital Transports SmallSat Catalog","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satcatalog-ms200","url":"https://www.satcatalog.com/component/multiscape200/","title":"MultiScape200 CIS, SatCatalog","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: f0ed3d84-5793-47a3-ad98-42d3ce03a30d
slug: xscape50
status: live
name: xScape50
aliases: ["xScape50","TriScape50","MultiScape50","HyperScape50"]
kind: sensor
product_status: operational
manufacturer: simera-sense
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
deployment_context: orbital
description:
Simera Sense 1U CubeSat optical payload family for wide-area Earth observation. Primary variant (TriScape50) delivers RGB and HD video at 30 m GSD from 500 km with a 120 km swath. The xScape50 platform also supports 8-band VNIR multispectral (MultiScape50) and 32-from-400-band CVOF hyperspectral (HyperScape50) configurations on the same 1U form factor. 4096 pixels across-track, 5.5 um pixel size.

sensor:
{"instrument_family":"passive-optical","measurement_principle":"passive","spectral_range_nm":{"min":450,"max":900},"spectral_band_count":8,"gsd_m":{"native":30},"swath_km":120,"bit_depth":12}

sources:
[{"id":"multiscape50-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/multiscape50/","title":"MultiScape50, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"triscape50-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/triscape50/","title":"TriScape50, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"hyperscape50-page","url":"https://simera-sense.com/products/xscape50/hyperscape50/","title":"HyperScape50, Simera Sense product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"cameras-overview","url":"https://simera-sense.com/cameras/","title":"Optical Cameras for Small Satellite Imagers, Simera Sense","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: b0465dca-a74f-4aaa-841d-2b475cd367a8
slug: trioptics-optical-metrology
status: live
name: TRIOPTICS Optical Metrology and Test Equipment
aliases: ["TRIOPTICS","ImageMaster","OptiCentric"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: trioptics
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
TRIOPTICS provides the optical QA test equipment that anchors the production-test infrastructure layer of the global precision optics supply chain. For EO-relevant work, the ImageMaster MTF benches and OptiCentric centration instruments are the standard tools for verifying optical performance of spaceborne imager and spectrometer assemblies before flight. The company is rarely a direct FK target on a mission or sensor entity in EO-Atlas, but its equipment is the implicit reference in optical-QA conversations across instrument manufacturers like Simera Sense, HySpex, Specim, Headwall Photonics, Zeiss, and Sodern.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Optical metrology and test equipment for instrument-manufacturer QA labs. Product range includes ImageMaster MTF measurement benches, OptiCentric lens centration instruments, WaveMaster wavefront sensors, and dedicated lens characterisation and alignment tooling. Equipment is widely deployed across defence, automotive, semiconductor lithography, consumer optics, biomedical, and space instrument manufacturers globally. TRIOPTICS does not produce optical components or instruments; the product is the test equipment that other optical manufacturers use to verify their products."]}

sources:
[{"id":"trioptics-home","url":"https://www.trioptics.com","title":"TRIOPTICS, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 081d065d-3342-4778-98d4-d61848122332
slug: viavi-osp-coatings
status: live
name: Viavi OSP Precision Optical Coatings
aliases: ["Viavi OSP","OCLI coatings","Optical Coating Laboratory"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: viavi-solutions
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
Viavi OSP (Optical Security and Performance Products) is the precision thin-film optical coating division of Viavi Solutions, founded 1948 as Optical Coating Laboratory (OCLI). One of the principal global precision coating houses, with USD 300M annual division revenue at 34% operating margin reflecting a cost-insensitive customer base of NASA cost-plus contracts, defence primes, and the high-volume currency anti-counterfeiting pigments market. Generally the wrong pricing tier for commercial smallsat constellation work, where in-house alternatives (Admesy IBS coating chain, similar smallsat-tier vendors) compete on cost rather than absolute heritage.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Precision thin-film optical coating manufacturing across the full UV to LWIR spectral range. Magnetron sputtering and ion-assisted evaporation deposition, in-house metrology including tunable laser spectrophotometers. Product range covers narrowband bandpass filters, multispectral filters, anti-reflection coatings, dichroic beamsplitters, solar rejection filters, and large-scale optics up to 2.5 m. Heritage on NASA OSIRIS-REx OVIRS instrument filter assembly; defence-prime contractor base."]}

sources:
[{"id":"viavi-osp","url":"https://www.viavisolutions.com/en-us/osp","title":"Viavi Solutions, Optical Security and Performance Products division","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 2dcb491c-b61a-4f60-876e-20d2904ca873
slug: leopard-dpu
status: live
name: Leopard DPU
aliases: ["Leopard Data Processing Unit","Leopard"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: kp-labs
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
Flight-grade onboard data processing unit purpose-built for EO workloads (hyperspectral reduction, cloud masking, change detection).

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["EO-oriented onboard AI/ML data processing unit for micro-, mini-, and CubeSat-class satellites. PC/104 form factor, AMD Zynq UltraScale+ MPSoC, 3 TOPS onboard inference, 5-20 W. Workloads include hyperspectral reduction and compression, cloud detection, change detection, FPGA-accelerated custom signal processing, and in-orbit algorithm reconfiguration."]}

sources:
[{"id":"leopard-product-page","url":"https://kplabs.space/solutions/hardware/leopard/","title":"Leopard - Edge AI for satellites, KP Labs product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"intuition-1-mission-page","url":"https://kplabs.space/intuition-1","title":"Intuition-1 mission page, KP Labs","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kp-labs-missions","url":"https://kplabs.space/missions","title":"KP Labs missions overview","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 4614462f-e47c-46a1-945e-c46effc96ed8
slug: lion-dpu
status: live
name: Lion DPU
aliases: ["Lion Data Processing Unit","Lion"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: kp-labs
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
Flight-grade onboard data processing unit for ESA Mission Class III/IV programmes; targets payload-heavy EO platforms with multi-sensor fusion needs.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["EO-oriented onboard AI/ML data processing unit for medium- and large-class satellites (up to 600 kg). ADHA 3U form factor, Kintex UltraScale KU060 FPGA, up to 30 W, ESA Mission Class III/IV rated. Workloads include multi-sensor real-time data fusion, vision-based autonomous navigation, FPGA-accelerated DNN inference, and autonomous spacecraft operations. SpaceWire and SpaceFiber high-bandwidth payload interfaces."]}

sources:
[{"id":"lion-product-page","url":"https://kplabs.space/solutions/hardware/lion/","title":"Lion - ADHA Form Factor AI, KP Labs product page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kp-labs-home","url":"https://kplabs.space","title":"KP Labs, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: b810f7b4-c806-40de-80c5-6944c2586077
slug: tyr
status: live
name: Track Your Rocket (TYR)
aliases: ["TYR"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: spacecific
last_verified_date: "2026-05-17T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
Flagship product of Spacecific. Replaces GPS dependency in sounding-rocket trajectory recovery with a custom RF processing chain, useful where GPS is jammed, denied, or unsuitable for the rocket envelope.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["GPS-independent localisation for sounding rockets. RF-based ground station that recovers position and trajectory from on-board beacon signals using radio-astronomy signal-processing techniques. Spinoff from a REXUS research project at Radboud Radio Lab."]}


atlas_id: eec119bc-97cf-4dfd-bcff-e2f5e6317c06
slug: smart-mission-lab
status: live
name: Smart Mission Lab
aliases: ["SML"]
kind: analysis-service
manufacturer: kp-labs
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
description:
Smart Mission Lab is a Hardware-as-a-Service platform by KP Labs that provides remote access to the same Leopard, Lion, and Antelope DPU hardware used in flight missions. Customers validate algorithms and hardware choices before committing to flight units. Launched Q1 2025. Subscription-based pricing.

analysis_service:
{"processing_capabilities":["Cloud-based remote access to space-grade KP Labs DPUs (Leopard, Lion, Antelope) for pre-launch algorithm development, hardware validation, and onboard AI testing. Subscription model with hardware available within two days of purchase. No physical hardware required upfront."]}

sources:
[{"id":"sml-platform","url":"https://sml.kplabs.space","title":"Smart Mission Lab platform, KP Labs","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"kp-labs-home","url":"https://kplabs.space","title":"KP Labs, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


# missions

atlas_id: 29fa07a8-965b-4424-bc20-ad500cbe30f1
slug: alos-2
status: live
name: ALOS-2
aliases: ["DAICHI-2","Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2"]
operator: jaxa
actual_launch: "2014-05-24T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous sub-recurrent, 628 km, 97.9 degree inclination, 14-day repeat, 12:00 LTDN
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
ALOS-2 (Advanced Land Observing Satellite-2, "Daichi-2") is an L-band synthetic aperture radar mission operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) [^jaxa-eorc-overview]. Built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation under JAXA contract, the satellite was launched on 24 May 2014 aboard an H-IIA launch vehicle [^jaxa-eorc-overview]. The spacecraft has a mass of approximately 2,100 kg and operates in a sun-synchronous sub-recurrent orbit at 628 km altitude with a 97.9-degree inclination, a 14-day repeat cycle, and a descending node local time of 12:00 [^jaxa-eorc-overview].

ALOS-2 carries a single primary instrument, the Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar-2 (PALSAR-2), operating at a centre frequency of 1,257.5 MHz (wavelength approximately 23.84 cm) [^jaxa-eorc-palsar2]. PALSAR-2 supports six resolution modes from 1-metre Spotlight through 490-kilometre-swath ScanSAR, and is capable of full polarimetric (quad-pol), dual-pol, and single-pol acquisitions [^jaxa-eorc-palsar2]. The combination of L-band wavelength and wide-swath operation makes the mission particularly suited to tropical forest disturbance monitoring, surface deformation mapping via interferometry, and disaster response imaging in cloud-covered or smoke-obscured regions.

ALOS-2 succeeded the original ALOS (Daichi, 2006-2011) and substantially improved on its predecessor by adding right-and-left looking capability and expanding maximum swath width from the original PALSAR to up to 490 km [^jaxa-global-projects]. The satellite exceeded its 5-year primary design life (goal: 7 years) and remained in extended operations as of 2026. JAXA launched ALOS-4 (Daichi-4) on 1 July 2024 as the successor mission [^jaxa-alos4-launch]; both satellites operated concurrently during the transition period.

sources:
[{"id":"jaxa-eorc-overview","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS-2/en/about/overview.htm","title":"ALOS-2 Outline, JAXA EORC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"jaxa-eorc-palsar2","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS-2/en/about/palsar2.htm","title":"PALSAR-2 instrument overview, JAXA EORC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-alos2","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/alos-2","title":"ALOS-2 mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"jaxa-global-projects","url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/alos2/","title":"ALOS-2 project page, JAXA global","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"jaxa-alos4-launch","url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/07/20240701-1_e.html","title":"ALOS-4 launch press release, JAXA","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 07225d7b-44de-4d5c-88e2-ed964a9e3ced
slug: alos-4
status: live
name: ALOS-4
aliases: ["DAICHI-4","Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4"]
operator: jaxa
actual_launch: "2024-07-01T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous sub-recurrent, 628 km, 97.9 degree inclination, 14-day repeat, 12:00 LTDN
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
ALOS-4 (Daichi-4, Advanced Land Observing Satellite-4) is Japan's fourth-generation L-band synthetic aperture radar mission, developed and operated by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) [^eoportal-alos4]. The satellite was launched on 1 July 2024 aboard the H3 launch vehicle (third flight, H3 F3) from Tanegashima Space Center and placed into a sun-synchronous orbit at 628 km altitude with a 14-day repeat cycle and 12:00 local time at descending node [^jaxa-alos4-launch][^eoportal-alos4].

Built by Mitsubishi Electric Corporation (MELCO) on the JAXA Advanced Satellite Bus-3, ALOS-4 carries PALSAR-3 (Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar 3) as its primary payload [^eoportal-alos4]. PALSAR-3 succeeds PALSAR-2 aboard the still-operational ALOS-2, which continues data acquisition in extended mode alongside ALOS-4. The principal advance is a dramatic expansion in imaging capacity: PALSAR-3 ScanSAR mode achieves a 700 km swath at 25 m resolution using four simultaneous scan beams, compared with PALSAR-2's 350 km swath at 100 m in wide-area mode [^eoportal-alos4].

PALSAR-3 supports three imaging modes: Spotlight (3 m x 1 m resolution, 35 km scene), Stripmap (3, 6, or 10 m resolution, 100 to 200 km swath), and ScanSAR (25 m, 700 km swath). All modes operate at L-band with selectable centre frequencies of 1236.5, 1257.5, or 1278.5 MHz and dual polarisation (HH or HH+HV) [^eoportal-alos4]. L-band wavelength (~23.8 cm) provides deep canopy penetration, making ALOS-4 effective for detecting sub-canopy forest disturbance that shorter-wavelength radars miss.

A secondary payload, SPAISE3 (Space-based AIS Experiment 3), receives Automatic Identification System signals from ocean vessels using eight antennas with digital beam-forming, improving detection in high-traffic shipping lanes over the predecessor SPAISE2 on ALOS-2 [^eoportal-alos4]. An optical inter-satellite data relay (LUCAS) was demonstrated on 23 January 2025, achieving 1.8 Gbps downlink at 1.5 micrometre wavelength via a geostationary relay satellite [^eoportal-alos4]. ALOS-4 entered nominal operational status by late 2025, with commercial distribution handled by Tenchijin, Inc. from February 2025 [^eoportal-alos4].

sources:
[{"id":"jaxa-eorc-alos4","url":"https://www.eorc.jaxa.jp/ALOS-4/en/about/about.htm","title":"ALOS-4 Outline, JAXA EORC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18"},{"id":"jaxa-alos4-launch","url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/press/2024/07/20240701-1_e.html","title":"ALOS-4 launch press release, JAXA","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18"},{"id":"jaxa-global-alos4","url":"https://global.jaxa.jp/projects/sat/alos4/","title":"ALOS-4 project page, JAXA global","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-18"},{"id":"eoportal-alos4","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/alos-4","title":"ALOS-4 mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 377f1f6b-bc82-4af5-92b4-b07a728ca965
slug: aqua
status: live
name: Aqua
aliases: ["EOS PM-1"]
operator: nasa
actual_launch: "2002-05-04T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: degraded
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Aqua (also designated EOS PM-1) is a NASA Earth Science satellite mission launched on 4 May 2002 from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard a Delta II 7920-10L rocket [^aqua-home]. Managed by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), it was designed as the afternoon complement to the Terra (EOS AM-1) mission, carrying six science instruments for observations of Earth's water cycle, energy balance, atmosphere, and land surface [^aqua-home].

Aqua operates in a 705 km sun-synchronous near-polar orbit at 98.2 degree inclination, originally crossing the equator on the ascending node at 1:30 PM local time [^aqua-home]. This afternoon timing, reflected in its original designation EOS PM-1, made Aqua the anchor of the A-Train (Afternoon Constellation), a formation of satellites coordinated to observe the same ground swath within minutes of each other [^atrain-page].

In December 2021, after exhausting its station-keeping propellant, Aqua completed its final drag makeup maneuvers and entered free-drift mode [^aqua-home]. The satellite began descending below the A-Train orbit and drifting to progressively later equatorial crossing times -- approximately 50 minutes later than nominal by January 2025 -- exiting the A-Train formation by early 2022 [^atrain-page]. As of May 2026, Aqua remains operational, having completed more than 126,000 orbits and contributed to over 30,000 peer-reviewed scientific publications [^aqua-home]. Spacecraft passivation is scheduled for Fall 2026 [^aqua-home].

Of its six instruments, four remain operational: MODIS, AIRS, AMSU-A, and CERES [^aqua-home]. MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer), carrying 36 spectral bands from visible to thermal infrared at 250-1000 m GSD and a 2,330 km swath, provides daily global coverage underpinning vegetation indices, burned-area detection, and active fire products [^modis-specs]. AIRS (Atmospheric Infrared Sounder), with 2,378 infrared channels from 3.74-15.4 um, provides atmospheric temperature and humidity profiling [^eoportal-aqua]. CERES (FM4+FM5) measures Earth's broadband radiation balance in three spectral channels at 20 km nadir resolution [^ceres-instr].

Two instruments are permanently non-operational: AMSR-E (Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer for EOS), a 12-channel passive microwave radiometer contributed by JAXA, experienced a major anomaly in October 2011 ending science data collection, and was powered off in March 2016 [^aqua-home]. HSB (Humidity Sounder for Brazil), a passive microwave humidity sounder contributed by INPE, failed in February 2003 after nine months of operation [^eoportal-aqua].

Users of Aqua MODIS time-series should account for overpass-time drift since December 2021. Long-term continuity assessments require drift-correction methodology equivalent to that applied to Terra MODIS (drifting since February 2020).

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, originally 705 km / 1:30 PM ascending; in free-drift since December 2021 (altitude descending, crossing time drifting later); inclination 98.2 degrees

sources:
[{"id":"aqua-home","url":"https://aqua.nasa.gov/","title":"Aqua Mission, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"aqua-about","url":"https://aqua.nasa.gov/about","title":"About Aqua, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"aqua-amsr-e","url":"https://aqua.nasa.gov/amsr-e","title":"AMSR-E Instrument, Aqua, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"aqua-ceres","url":"https://aqua.nasa.gov/ceres","title":"CERES Instrument, Aqua, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"atrain-page","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/a-train/","title":"A-Train Afternoon Constellation, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-aqua","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/aqua","title":"Aqua, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"modis-specs","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/specifications.php","title":"MODIS Technical Specifications, NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"ceres-instr","url":"https://ceres.larc.nasa.gov/instruments/","title":"CERES Instruments, NASA LaRC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nsidc-amsre","url":"https://nsidc.org/data/au_si6/versions/1","title":"AMSR-E data versions, NSIDC","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 7529f3b5-ad56-4781-9f0d-8648400f7e49
slug: biomass
status: live
name: BIOMASS
aliases: ["Earth Explorer 7","EE-7"]
operator: esa
actual_launch: "2025-04-29T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
BIOMASS is ESA's seventh Earth Explorer mission (EE-7), a single-satellite P-band synthetic aperture radar mission launched on 29 April 2025 aboard a Vega-C rocket from Kourou, French Guiana [^esa-facts]. The satellite completed its post-launch commissioning phase on 20 November 2025, entering routine Tomographic operations on 21 November 2025 [^esa-eogateway].

The sole imaging payload is the P-SAR instrument: a fully polarimetric SAR operating at 435 MHz (P-band, approximately 69 cm wavelength) with a 12-metre deployable mesh reflector built by Harris Corporation [^eoportal-biomass]. The instrument acquires HH, VV, HV, and VH polarisation channels simultaneously, with a swath of approximately 50 km at incidence angles between 23 and 35 degrees and spatial resolution of approximately 60 m range by 50 m azimuth [^eoportal-biomass]. P-band wavelength penetrates forest canopy layers to reach the woody trunk and branch structure where most above-ground biomass mass resides, giving the mission sensitivity to forest carbon stocks that shorter-wavelength radars cannot match [^esa-facts].

The mission operates in two sequential phases. The Tomographic phase (approximately 12 months from November 2025) collects stacks of seven repeat-pass images per location, enabling experimental three-dimensional mapping of vertical forest structure via SAR tomography. The following Interferometric phase (approximately 4.5 years) collects three-image stacks using PolInSAR techniques to derive forest height and above-ground biomass at 200 m resolution globally on an annual basis [^esa-eogateway].

Geographic coverage spans 56 degrees south to 75 degrees north latitude. Operational coverage excludes North America and Europe due to coordination constraints with US Department of Defence Space Object Tracking Radar systems [^esa-eogateway]. Primary target biomes are the Amazon Basin, Congo Basin, and Southeast Asian tropical forests, plus boreal zones.

Level-1 calibrated SAR products (SLC and GRD in full polarimetry) became openly available on 26 January 2026 [^esa-main]. Level-2 products including above-ground biomass maps, forest height, and disturbance detection layers are on a phased release schedule through 2027.

BIOMASS was developed for ESA by an industrial consortium led by Airbus Defence and Space UK, with Thales Alenia Space contributing the feed array system and L3Harris Technologies providing antenna testing [^eoportal-biomass]. Mission control operates from ESA's ESOC in Darmstadt; science data processing is handled at ESA's ESRIN in Frascati, Italy.

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, 666 km, 97.97 degree inclination, dawn-dusk 06:00 LTAN, 3-day near-repeat, 17-day quasi-repeat

current_geographic_priority:
Global tropical forest biomes (Amazon, Congo Basin, Southeast Asia); North America and Europe excluded due to US Space Object Tracking Radar coordination constraint

sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/BIOMASS/Facts_and_figures","title":"BIOMASS Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-eogateway","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/biomass","title":"BIOMASS mission overview, ESA EO Gateway","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-main","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/FutureEO/BIOMASS","title":"BIOMASS mission page, ESA","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-biomass","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/biomass","title":"ESA BIOMASS mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 972e985b-ca36-4d61-bef0-f90078b3bf8a
slug: desir
status: live
confidence: medium
name: DESIR
operator: loft-orbital
platform: longbow-bus
planned_launch: "2029-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: planned
orbit_type: LEO, TBD
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
DESIR (Demonstrateur des Elements Souverains d'Imagerie Radar) is a planned French sovereign SAR satellite programme procured jointly by CNES (Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales) and DGA (Direction Generale de l'Armement). Loft Orbital was selected as prime contractor, responsible for the satellite bus based on the Longbow platform and ground control operations [^loft-desir-pr][^breakingdefense-desir]. Thales Alenia Space is contracted by CNES and DGA to deliver the SAR payload and the user ground segment, with TEKEVER France participating as payload co-designer for the active antenna [^tas-desir-pr]. The contract award to Loft Orbital was valued at approximately EUR 50 million [^payloadspace-desir].

The mission is classified as demonstrating SAR imaging methodology [^loft-desir-pr] and is planned for a LEO orbit, with specific orbit type and altitude to be determined. SAR frequency band, resolution, and swath parameters had not been publicly disclosed as of the research date. Launch is planned for 2029.

aliases:
["Demonstrateur des Elements Souverains d'Imagerie Radar","Sovereign Radar Imaging Elements Demonstration"]

sources:
[{"id":"loft-desir-pr","url":"https://loftorbital.com/loft-selected-as-prime-contractor-for-frances-first-space-based-radar-imaging-program/","title":"Loft selected as prime contractor for DESIR, Loft Orbital press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"breakingdefense-desir","url":"https://breakingdefense.com/2026/01/france-taps-loft-orbital-to-develop-nations-first-sovereign-sar-satellite/","title":"France taps Loft Orbital to develop nation's first sovereign SAR satellite, Breaking Defense","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"tas-desir-pr","url":"https://www.thalesaleniaspace.com/en/press-releases/thales-alenia-space-selected-cnes-and-dga-payload-and-user-ground-segment-frances","title":"Thales Alenia Space selected by CNES and DGA for payload and user ground segment for DESIR, Thales Alenia Space press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"payloadspace-desir","url":"https://payloadspace.com/loft-orbital-wins-e50m-contract-to-build-french-sar-sat/","title":"Loft Orbital Wins EUR 50M Contract to Build French SAR Sat, Payload Space","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"operator vs procuring_authority","values":["Loft Orbital is the prime contractor (satellite bus + ground control)","CNES and DGA are the procuring authorities, not the operator"],"sources":["loft-desir-pr","tas-desir-pr","breakingdefense-desir"],"note":"DB operator field set to loft-orbital. CNES/DGA procure; Loft Orbital operates satellite; Thales Alenia Space delivers payload and user ground segment. Operator in the commercial-operator sense is Loft Orbital; procuring authority is CNES+DGA. Flagged for editor review on body framing."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Orbit type and altitude (LEO assumed, type TBD per DB)","search_attempts":["breakingdefense DESIR orbit altitude 2026","Thales Alenia Space DESIR press release specifications"]},{"fact":"SAR frequency band (X-band, C-band, or other)","search_attempts":["DESIR SAR frequency band CNES DGA specification","Thales Alenia Space TEKEVER active antenna frequency DESIR"]},{"fact":"Resolution and swath specs","search_attempts":["DESIR SAR resolution swath 2026"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"tekever-france","class":"companies","context":"payload co-designer (active antenna), not in catalogue"},{"slug":"cnes","class":"companies","context":"procuring authority, not in catalogue"},{"slug":"dga","class":"companies","context":"procuring authority (Direction Generale de l'Armement), not in catalogue"}],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"sar-imaging","evidence_class":"capable","demonstrated_via_mission":null,"source":"loft-desir-pr"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"flag","depth":"flag","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 83b16009-c583-4098-9d02-a7c7d74bf59c
slug: desis-iss
status: live
confidence: high
name: DESIS ISS deployment
aliases: ["DESIS on ISS","DESIS"]
operator: dlr
actual_launch: "2018-06-29T00:00:00.000Z"
actual_end_of_life: "2023-12-31T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: ended
orbit_type: ISS orbit, approximately 400 km altitude, 51.6 degree inclination, non-sun-synchronous
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
DESIS (DLR Earth Sensing Imaging Spectrometer) is a push-broom hyperspectral imaging instrument developed by DLR and hosted on the ISS MUSES (Multiple User System for Earth Sensing) platform operated by Teledyne Brown Engineering [^dlr-instrument][^eoportal-iss-muses][^ceos-eohandbook]. The instrument was transported to the ISS on 29 June 2018 and achieved initial operating capability in November 2018 [^tbe-desis-faq]. Operations ended in December 2023, leaving a five-year archive of hyperspectral imagery.

DESIS occupied a non-sun-synchronous ISS orbit at approximately 400 km altitude and 51.6 degree inclination, providing non-tasked data collection across latitudes up to 51.6 degrees. Revisit cadence depended on ISS groundtrack: eoPortal records an average cadence of 3-5 days for populated areas [^eoportal-iss-muses]; Teledyne Brown Engineering documentation gives 10-12 days at latitudes of 15-30 degrees under a 25-degree zenith angle constraint [^tbe-desis-faq]. Both figures reflect different geometric framings of the same orbit. The five-year data archive is accessible through DLR and USGS distribution.

sources:
[{"id":"dlr-instrument","url":"https://www.dlr.de/en/eoc/research-transfer/projects-missions/desis/instrument","title":"DESIS Instrument, DLR EOC","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-iss-muses","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-muses","title":"ISS MUSES, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"ceos-eohandbook","url":"https://database.eohandbook.com/database/missionsummary.aspx?missionID=776","title":"DESIS-on-ISS Mission Summary, CEOS EOHandbook","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"tbe-desis-faq","url":"https://www.tbe.com/what-we-do/markets/space/geospatial-solutions/desis/faqs","title":"DESIS Frequently Asked Questions, Teledyne Brown Engineering","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"actual_launch","values":["2018-06-29 (DB, eoPortal, CEOS -- MUSES/DESIS installed on ISS via cargo)","2018-11-21 initial operating capability (Teledyne Brown Engineering FAQ)"],"sources":["eoportal-iss-muses","ceos-eohandbook","dlr-instrument"],"note":"Launch date = delivery to ISS (June 2018); first data acquisition = November 2018. DB value (June 2018) reflects transport to ISS not operational start. Standard practice: launch/install date used. No change recommended but body should clarify."},{"field":"revisit_days","values":["3-5 day average cadence (eoPortal)","10-12 days at 15-30 deg latitude with 25-deg zenith angle limit (Teledyne Brown FAQ)"],"sources":["eoportal-iss-muses","tbe-desis-faq"],"note":"Discrepancy: 3-5 day figure is 90-percentile populated-area coverage stat; 10-12 day is geometric revisit at specific latitudes. Both valid in different framings. DB currently null. No single value resolves cleanly."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Geographic priority regions (DB null; instrument is globally tasked via MUSES, no stated priority region)","search_attempts":["DESIS geographic priority region DLR tasking"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"muses-platform","class":"products","context":"MUSES hosting platform on ISS operated by Teledyne Brown Engineering; not in products catalogue"},{"slug":"teledyne-brown-engineering","class":"companies","context":"MUSES platform operator; not in catalogue"}],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"desis-iss","source":"dlr-instrument"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 316bbd18-bbfd-4c85-b50e-2551a5b26854
slug: emit-iss
status: live
confidence: high
name: EMIT ISS deployment
aliases: ["EMIT on ISS","EMIT","Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation"]
operator: nasa
actual_launch: "2022-07-14T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: ISS orbit, approximately 407 km altitude, 51.6 degree inclination, non-sun-synchronous
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
EMIT (Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation) is a NASA/JPL imaging spectrometer mounted on the exterior of the International Space Station, launched 14 July 2022 [^emit-jpl][^eoportal-emit]. Its primary science goal is to map the mineralogical composition of arid dust-source regions globally, enabling better modelling of mineral aerosol effects on climate and ecosystems [^emit-jpl][^green-2020]. The instrument covers the visible-to-shortwave-infrared range (380-2500 nm) using pushbroom imaging spectroscopy [^emit-specs][^nasa-earthdata-emit].

EMIT operates from the ISS non-sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 407 km altitude and 51.6 degree inclination. Swath width is reported as 80 km by eoPortal, 75 km by NASA Earthdata, and approximately 78 km derived from the instrument's 11-degree cross-track FOV at operational altitude [^eoportal-emit][^nasa-earthdata-emit][^emit-specs]; the DB carries 80 km, which falls within this range. The prime 12-month mission concluded around July 2023; the mission entered an extended phase in early 2024 and was active through at least May 2026 [^emit-jpl]. No planned decommission date had been publicly announced as of the research date. The four-year archive is publicly distributed through NASA Earthdata.

sources:
[{"id":"emit-jpl","url":"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/","title":"EMIT mission portal, NASA JPL","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"emit-specs","url":"https://earth.jpl.nasa.gov/emit/instrument/specifications/","title":"EMIT instrument specifications, NASA JPL","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-emit","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-emit","title":"ISS-EMIT mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"science-nasa","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/emit/","title":"EMIT Mission, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"green-2020","url":"https://doi.org/10.1109/AERO47225.2020.9172731","title":"The Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation: An Earth Science Imaging Spectroscopy Mission, Green et al. 2020","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nasa-earthdata-emit","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/emit-imaging-spectrometer","title":"EMIT Imaging Spectrometer, NASA Earthdata","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"swath_km","values":["80 km (DB, eoPortal)","75 km (NASA Earthdata instrument page)","~78 km (calculated from 11-deg FOV at 407 km altitude)","~63 km (JPL main portal: 39-mile figure)"],"sources":["emit-jpl","eoportal-emit","nasa-earthdata-emit"],"note":"JPL portal text ('39 miles') appears to be a rounding of a different stat (possibly ground coverage rate, not swath). eoPortal 80 km and calculated FOV ~78 km are consistent. NASA Earthdata shows 75 km. Tier-1 instrument specs page (JPL) gives 11-degree cross-track FOV; at 407 km altitude that implies ~78-80 km swath. DB value 80 km within expected range; flag for editor precision."},{"field":"current_status","values":["extended (DB)","operational (extended) -- prime mission ended July 2023, extended phase began early 2024 per JPL"],"sources":["emit-jpl","eoportal-emit"],"note":"Status is correctly 'extended'. Prime 12-month mission ended ~July 2023; extended mission through at least 2026."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Planned decommission date (DB null; JPL says 'through at least 2026' -- no hard date)","search_attempts":["EMIT ISS decommission date 2026 NASA"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"imaging-spectroscopy","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"emit-iss","source":"emit-jpl"},{"methodology_slug":"mineral-mapping","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"emit-iss","source":"emit-specs"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 0d81308b-d9d9-49b9-a6fe-13db2c17e308
slug: enmap
status: live
name: EnMAP
aliases: ["Environmental Mapping and Analysis Program","EnMAP satellite"]
operator: dlr
actual_launch: "2022-04-01T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 653 km, 97.96 deg inclination, 11:00 LTDN, 27-day nadir repeat
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: community
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
EnMAP is a German hyperspectral Earth observation satellite [^eoportal-enmap] designed to characterise Earth's surface by measuring solar radiation reflected across the full VNIR-SWIR spectral range, from 420 to 2450 nm [^enmap-mission]. Launched 1 April 2022 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-4 rideshare mission [^eoportal-enmap], EnMAP entered routine operations on 2 November 2022 following a six-month in-orbit commissioning and calibration campaign [^enmap-ops-nov2022].

The mission is funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK) and managed by the German Space Agency at DLR in Bonn on BMWK's behalf [^dlr-enmap]. The satellite was built by OHB System AG of Bremen as prime contractor using the OHB LEOBus-1000 bus platform [^eoportal-enmap]. On-orbit operations are conducted by DLR's Earth Observation Center (EOC) at Oberpfaffenhofen; scientific coordination is led by the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ) in Potsdam [^dlr-enmap].

The sole payload is the Hyperspectral Imager (HSI), a pushbroom imaging spectrometer built around a shared three-mirror anastigmat telescope feeding two prism-based spectrometers [^eoportal-enmap]. The VNIR channel covers 420-1000 nm across 99 bands at 6.5 nm spectral sampling, detected by a back-thinned CMOS focal plane array (Fairchild Imaging) [^eoportal-enmap]. The SWIR channel covers 900-2450 nm across 163 bands at 10 nm sampling, detected by a mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) array cooled to 150 K by an onboard pulse tube cooler [^eoportal-enmap]. Both channels share a 30 m ground sample distance, 30 km swath, and 14-bit radiometric resolution [^enmap-mission][^eoportal-enmap].

EnMAP occupies a 653 km sun-synchronous orbit with an 11:00 local time of descending node and a 27-day nadir repeat cycle [^eoportal-enmap]. Off-nadir pointing of up to 30 degrees in the cross-track direction enables a revisit capability of approximately 4 days [^enmap-mission]. The satellite can collect up to 5,000 km of imagery per day.

EnMAP data is freely available to registered users under the EnMAP Data License v1.1. Acquisition requests are submitted through the instrument planning portal at planning.enmap.org; archived data is accessible via DLR's EOWEB portal and via a STAC endpoint at DLR's EOC Geoservice [^dlr-geoservice]. Three product levels are distributed: L1B (top-of-atmosphere radiance), L1C (geocoded radiance), and L2A (surface reflectance, atmospherically corrected using the ATCOR-based processor). Standard delivery occurs within six days of downlink. The L2A collection covers 224 usable bands across VNIR and SWIR; four bands in strong atmospheric water vapour absorption windows near 1350-1400 nm and 1800-1950 nm are masked in the standard product [^dlr-stac-enmap-l2a].

The mission targets a broad range of application domains: geological mapping and mineral exploration (exploiting diagnostic SWIR absorption features of clay, carbonate, sulphate, and phyllosilicate minerals), soil characterisation, vegetation condition and composition monitoring, inland and coastal water quality, agricultural crop analysis, cryosphere studies, urban surface material identification, and atmospheric monitoring including methane detection [^enmap-mission][^eoportal-enmap].

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-enmap","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/enmap","title":"EnMAP, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"enmap-mission","url":"https://www.enmap.org/mission/","title":"EnMAP Mission Overview, enmap.org","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"enmap-data-access","url":"https://www.enmap.org/data_access/","title":"EnMAP Data Access, enmap.org","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"dlr-enmap","url":"https://www.dlr.de/en/research-and-transfer/projects-and-missions/enmap","title":"EnMAP, DLR mission page","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"enmap-ops-nov2022","url":"https://www.enmap.org/news/2022-11-02/","title":"EnMAP starts routine operations, enmap.org news","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"dlr-geoservice","url":"https://geoservice.dlr.de/web/datasets/enmap","title":"EnMAP HSI L2A dataset, DLR EOC Geoservice","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"dlr-stac-enmap-l2a","url":"https://geoservice.dlr.de/eoc/ogc/stac/v1/collections/ENMAP_HSI_L2A","title":"ENMAP_HSI_L2A STAC Collection, DLR EOC Geoservice","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: ecfe3e0c-bf00-4e6e-bdd4-edbbeb8d50e3
slug: gedi-iss
status: live
confidence: high
name: GEDI ISS deployment
aliases: ["GEDI on ISS","GEDI"]
operator: nasa
actual_launch: "2018-12-05T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: ISS orbit, about 407 km altitude, 51.6 degree inclination, non-sun-synchronous
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
GEDI (Global Ecosystem Dynamics Investigation) is a NASA full-waveform lidar instrument installed on the International Space Station in December 2018 [^science-gedi][^gedi-timeline]. The instrument was developed at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center with the University of Maryland as the science lead. It uses three 1064 nm lasers dithered to eight ground tracks spaced approximately 600 m apart, each with a 25 m footprint, scanning up to 40 km either side of the ISS groundtrack [^gedi-instrument-overview][^gedi-specs]. Science objectives include high-resolution mapping of forest canopy height, vertical structure, and above-ground biomass [^gedi-instrument-overview].

GEDI's two-year design life was extended twice: first in March 2021 and again in March 2023 [^gedi-timeline]. A temporary hibernation period ran from March 2023 to 22 April 2024, after which data collection resumed [^gedi-timeline]. The mission was active through at least May 2026, with no public decommission date announced. The seven-year calendar archive (December 2018 to May 2026) includes approximately a 13-month gap during the hibernation period. Data are distributed through NASA Earthdata [^earthdata-gedi]. The ISS orbit at approximately 407 km altitude and 51.6 degree inclination limits coverage to latitudes below about 51.6 degrees and results in a variable, non-sun-synchronous revisit pattern.

sources:
[{"id":"gedi-timeline","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/mission/timeline/","title":"GEDI Mission Timeline, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"gedi-instrument-overview","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/instrument/instrument-overview/","title":"GEDI Instrument Overview, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"gedi-specs","url":"https://gedi.umd.edu/instrument/specifications/","title":"GEDI Instrument Specifications, gedi.umd.edu","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"science-gedi","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/gedi/","title":"GEDI Mission, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"earthdata-gedi","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/gedi-lidar","title":"GEDI Lidar, NASA Earthdata","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-iss-gedi","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-gedi","title":"ISS-GEDI mission profile, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"current_status","values":["extended (DB)","operational -- mission in extended phase; placed in hibernation Mar 2023 - Apr 2024; resumed Apr 22 2024; active data releases Apr 2025"],"sources":["gedi-timeline","science-gedi"],"note":"Status 'extended' correct. Mission launched Dec 2018 with 2-year design; first extension Mar 2021; second extension Mar 2023. Hibernation was temporary storage, not retirement. Resumed collection Apr 2024."},{"field":"archive_depth_years","values":["7 (DB, as of May 2026 from Dec 2018 launch)","Continuous with ~1-year gap (Mar 2023 - Apr 2024 hibernation)"],"sources":["gedi-timeline"],"note":"DB value 7 years is calendar span from launch to present. Effective acquisition archive has a ~13-month gap (hibernation). Body should note gap."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Planned decommission date (DB null; no announcement as of May 2026)","search_attempts":["GEDI ISS decommission date 2025 2026"]},{"fact":"Revisit days (DB null; ISS non-sun-synchronous, variable revisit; instrument pointed up to 40 km either side of groundtrack)","search_attempts":["GEDI revisit frequency days"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"jpl","class":"companies","context":"GEDI instrument developer (NASA Goddard/U Maryland PI team); not separately needed -- NASA is operator"}],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"lidar-full-waveform","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"gedi-iss","source":"gedi-instrument-overview"},{"methodology_slug":"canopy-height-mapping","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"gedi-iss","source":"gedi-instrument-overview"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: a7dbb3f6-219d-43df-89ca-a45a74124999
slug: geoeye-1
status: live
confidence: high
name: GeoEye-1
aliases: ["OrbView-5","GE1","GeoEye 1"]
operator: vantor
actual_launch: "2008-09-06T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 681 km, 98 deg inclination, 10:30 LTDN
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
GeoEye-1 (also designated OrbView-5) is a very-high-resolution optical satellite launched 6 September 2008 [^eoportal-ge1][^wiki-ge1]. It is operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Technologies, rebranded October 2025 [^wiki-vantor]). The satellite supports commercial tasking with a 1.7-day average revisit and a 15.2 km swath [^eoportal-ge1][^ceos-ge1].

GeoEye-1 launched into a sun-synchronous orbit at 681 km altitude with a 10:30 local time descending node. The orbit was raised to approximately 770 km in summer 2013 per eoPortal, Wikipedia, and WMO OSCAR records [^eoportal-ge1][^wiki-ge1][^wmo-oscar-ge1]; the orbit_type field in the catalogue currently reflects the pre-raise altitude of 681 km. The orbit raise altered the ground-sample distance: panchromatic resolution changed from approximately 0.41 m to 0.46 m, and multispectral resolution from approximately 1.64 m to 1.84 m [^eoportal-ge1][^wiki-ge1].

Design life was seven years; the mission entered extended operations well beyond that mark. End-of-life is projected for September 2026 due to propellant depletion, as reported by the CEOS EOHandbook [^ceos-ge1][^wiki-ge1]. The 17-year imagery archive is distributed through Vantor's commercial platform and government program channels. Methodologies include very-high-resolution optical collection and panchromatic-to-multispectral pan-sharpening [^eoportal-ge1].

sources:
[{"id":"wiki-ge1","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GeoEye-1","title":"GeoEye-1, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-eog-ge1","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/geoeye-1/description","title":"GeoEye-1, ESA EO Gateway mission record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-ge1","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/geoeye_1","title":"GeoEye-1, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-ge1","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/geoeye-1","title":"GeoEye-1 (OrbView-5), eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"ceos-ge1","url":"https://database.eohandbook.com/database/missionsummary.aspx?missionID=989","title":"GeoEye-1 Mission Summary, CEOS EOHandbook","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"wiki-vantor","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantor_(company)","title":"Vantor (company), Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"orbit_type (altitude)","values":["681 km (DB, original at launch 2008)","770 km (current, post-2013 orbit raise)"],"sources":["eoportal-ge1","wiki-ge1","wmo-oscar-ge1"],"note":"Orbit was raised from 681 km to 770 km in late summer 2013 when DigitalGlobe (post-acquisition of GeoEye) needed to avoid frequency interference with WorldView-3. DB entry says 681 km which is outdated. Resolution also changed: PAN from 0.41 m to 0.46 m, MS from 1.64 m to 1.84 m. Body must reflect 770 km current orbit."},{"field":"current_status vs planned_decommission","values":["extended (DB)","EOL projected September 2026 due to propellant depletion (CEOS EOHandbook, Vantor tracking sources)"],"sources":["ceos-ge1","wiki-ge1"],"note":"EOL Sep 2026 is not in DB (planned_decommission null). Mission is genuinely extended -- beyond design life of 7 years (launched 2008). Body should state EOL projection."},{"field":"operator","values":["vantor (DB)","Maxar Technologies at time of eoPortal last update July 2022","Vantor (rebranded Oct 2025 per Wikipedia)"],"sources":["wiki-vantor","eoportal-ge1"],"note":"DB operator 'vantor' is correct as of 2025-2026 -- Maxar Intelligence rebranded to Vantor in October 2025. No correction needed."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact date of Vantor rebrand from Maxar Intelligence","search_attempts":["Vantor Maxar rebrand date 2025"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"very-high-resolution-optical","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"geoeye-1","source":"eoportal-ge1"},{"methodology_slug":"pan-sharpening","evidence_class":"capable","demonstrated_via_mission":"geoeye-1","source":"eoportal-ge1"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"flag","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"flag"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 247cd804-d7af-4124-865a-126d8620a492
slug: helsing-eu-sovereign
status: live
confidence: low
name: Helsing EU Sovereign Constellation
aliases: ["Helsing Multi-Sensor Constellation","Europe's AI-Powered Multi-Sensor Satellite Constellation"]
operator: loft-orbital
platform: longbow-bus
planned_launch: "2026-01-01T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: planned
orbit_type: LEO, TBD
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
The Helsing EU Sovereign Constellation is a planned multi-sensor satellite constellation being developed by Loft Orbital for Helsing, an AI-focused defence technology company operating in Germany, the United Kingdom, and France. [^loft-helsing-pr] The constellation is designed for governmental, defence, and security applications, with an emphasis on AI-enabled intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) processing. [^loft-helsing-pr] [^calibre-defence-helsing]

Loft Orbital serves as the satellite platform and launch services provider, using its Longbow bus architecture. [^loft-physical-missions] The constellation is scheduled for launch within 2026 with slots secured, though no specific launch month has been publicly confirmed as of May 2026. [^loft-helsing-pr] The exact number of satellites in the constellation and the specific sensor model designations -- including camera make and model and RF sensor type -- have not been publicly disclosed, consistent with the limited technical disclosure typical of defence-oriented space programmes. [^loft-helsing-pr] [^calibre-defence-helsing]

Helsing (the AI company) is not yet listed as a separate entry in the EO-Atlas companies catalogue. The mission is catalogued at low confidence given the restricted public technical disclosure expected for a commercial defence constellation.

sources:
[{"id":"loft-helsing-pr","url":"https://loftorbital.com/helsing-and-loft-orbital-join-forces-to-deploy-europes-first-ai-powered-multi-sensor-satellite-constellation-for-governmental-defense-and-security-applications/","title":"Helsing and Loft Orbital Join Forces to Deploy Multi-Sensor Satellite Constellation, Loft Orbital press release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"loft-physical-missions","url":"https://www.loftorbital.com/physical-missions","title":"Physical Missions, Loft Orbital","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"calibre-defence-helsing","url":"https://www.calibredefence.co.uk/loft-orbital-and-helsing-partner-for-ai-enabled-isr-satellites","title":"Loft Orbital and Helsing partner for AI-enabled ISR satellites, Calibre Defence","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[],"unverified":[{"fact":"Satellite count in the constellation","search_attempts":["Loft Orbital Helsing press release Feb 2025","Aviation Week Loft Orbital Helsing article (paywalled)","defence-industry.eu coverage"]},{"fact":"Exact sensor model designations (camera make/model, RF sensor type)","search_attempts":["Loft Orbital physical-missions page","Helsing.ai website (429 rate-limit)","Multiple press aggregators"]},{"fact":"Exact launch date within 2026","search_attempts":["Loft Orbital press release: states 2026 with launch slots secured","No specific month confirmed"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"helsing","class":"companies","context":"Helsing (AI defence company, Germany/UK/France) is the payload operator and AI processing provider; not yet in companies catalogue"},{"slug":"iceye-x-bus","class":"products","context":"Loft Orbital uses its own bus; longbow-bus is in catalogue and matches operator-press description of Loft Orbital satellite buses; confirmed FK target"}],"product_methodologies":[],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"flag","structure":"clean","depth":"flag","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 67176fb9-169f-413f-bceb-606bda761fdf
slug: hisui-iss
status: live
confidence: high
name: HISUI ISS deployment
aliases: ["HISUI on ISS","HISUI"]
operator: meti
actual_launch: "2019-12-05T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: ISS orbit, approximately 400 km altitude, 51.6 degree inclination, non-sun-synchronous
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
HISUI (Hyperspectral Imager SUIte) is a pushbroom hyperspectral imaging instrument mounted on the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility of the International Space Station (ISS). [^hisui-sensors] Operated by Japan's Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and developed with Japan Space Systems, HISUI was deployed to the ISS in December 2019 and began routine data acquisition from a non-sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 400 km altitude and 51.6 degree inclination. [^jspacesystems-hisui] [^hisui-main]

The instrument covers the visible to shortwave infrared range (400-2500 nm) at 185 spectral bands and 30 m spatial resolution, with a swath of approximately 20 km at nadir. [^hisui-sensors] Data are available through the Tellus geospatial platform operated by Japan Space Systems, with a radiometric correction update released in February 2026. [^hisui-distribution]

Mission status as of May 2026 is under review. The CEOS EO Handbook lists an end-of-life date of December 2025 and classifies the mission as operational (extended). [^ceos-hisui] The hisui.go.jp distribution page shows data services active on Tellus as of 2026-05-24 with the February 2026 radiometric release, and no formal end-of-mission announcement had been published as of that date. [^hisui-distribution] Whether operations continued beyond the planned December 2025 end date has not been formally confirmed by METI or Japan Space Systems as of this record.

| Methodology | Evidence class | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated in mission | [^hisui-sensors] |

sources:
[{"id":"hisui-sensors","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/en/sensors/index.html","title":"HISUI Instrument Outline, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"jspacesystems-hisui","url":"https://www.jspacesystems.or.jp/en/project/observation/hisui/","title":"HISUI project page, Japan Space Systems","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"hisui-main","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/en/","title":"HISUI project portal, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"hisui-distribution","url":"https://www.hisui.go.jp/product/distribution.html","title":"HISUI product distribution, hisui.go.jp","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"ceos-hisui","url":"https://database.eohandbook.com/database/missionsummary.aspx?missionID=1310","title":"HISUI-on-ISS Mission Summary, CEOS EO Handbook","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-hisui","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iss-hisui","title":"ISS Utilization: HISUI, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"current_status","values":["extended","operational"],"sources":["ceos-hisui","hisui-main"],"note":"CEOS EOHANDBOOK and eoPortal list status as 'Operational (extended)' with EOL December 2025; hisui.go.jp main page shows data service resumed July 2024 on Tellus platform but no end-date change announced as of Feb 2026 radiometric update; treating as extended-operational pending formal end-of-mission announcement"},{"field":"actual_end_of_life","values":["December 2025","null"],"sources":["ceos-hisui","hisui-distribution"],"note":"CEOS database lists EOL Dec 2025; hisui.go.jp distribution page shows service active on Tellus as of 2026-05-24 with Feb 2026 radiometric correction release; mission may be operating beyond planned EOL"}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Formal end-of-mission declaration post December 2025","search_attempts":["hisui.go.jp main page Feb 2026","CEOS EOHANDBOOK record","JSpaceSystems project page"]},{"fact":"Revisit interval (numeric days)","search_attempts":["eoPortal ISS-HISUI page: states 10-15 observations over 3 years near 50N/S; no per-day revisit figure","jspacesystems.or.jp: simulation shows 70% coverage of global targets within 3 years"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"hisui-iss","source":"hisui-sensors"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"flag","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: eac0a3c6-3e6c-4f5b-b7b9-7d2c226b1b09
slug: iceye-x1
status: live
confidence: medium
name: ICEYE-X1
aliases: ["ICEYE X1","ICEYE X 1"]
operator: iceye
actual_launch: "2018-01-12T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: ended
orbit_type: SSO, 494 x 506 km, 97.56 deg
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
ICEYE-X1 was the first satellite in the ICEYE SAR constellation and the world's first commercially operated SAR microsatellite. [^prnewswire-x1-launch] Built and operated by ICEYE (Finland), ICEYE-X1 launched on 12 January 2018 aboard the PSLV-C40 mission into a sun-synchronous orbit. [^eoportal-x1] The mission concluded on 29 June 2018 after approximately 5.5 months of operations, meeting its initial demonstration objectives. [^eoportal-x1]

ICEYE-X1 operated at an orbital altitude with two values reported across reference sources: Gunter's Space Page gives 494 x 506 km at 97.56 degree inclination [^skyrocket-x1], while eoPortal reports 505 km circular at 97.55 degree inclination [^eoportal-x1]. The difference is within typical orbital insertion and decay ranges for the mission duration. The instrument swath is reported by eoPortal at 80 km x 40 km or greater [^eoportal-x1]; no single consolidated swath figure is available across the cited sources.

| Methodology | Evidence class | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| SAR imaging | Demonstrated in mission | [^eoportal-x1] |

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-x1","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/iceye-x1","title":"ICEYE-X1 (SAR Microsatellite-X1), eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"skyrocket-x1","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/iceye-x1.htm","title":"ICEYE X1, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"iceye-home","url":"https://www.iceye.com","title":"ICEYE company home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"prnewswire-x1-launch","url":"https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/iceye-successfully-launches-worlds-first-sar-microsatellite-and-establishes-finlands-first-commercial-satellite-operations-300581861.html","title":"ICEYE Successfully Launches World's First SAR Microsatellite, PR Newswire","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"orbit_type","values":["SSO, 494 x 506 km, 97.56 deg","SSO, 505 km altitude, 97.55 deg inclination"],"sources":["skyrocket-x1","eoportal-x1"],"note":"Skyrocket gives 494x506 km ellipse; eoPortal gives 505 km circular. Difference within nominal ops range; eoPortal is tier-community but more detailed; D1 row value (494x506) may reflect TLE at launch vs settled orbit. Tier-2 PSLV-C40 manifest not independently fetched. Keeping current D1 value as neither source is definitively tier-1."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact decommission date","search_attempts":["eoPortal ICEYE-X1 page: states mission concluded June 29 2018 after successful goal completion","Skyrocket: implies 2-3 year lifetime from launch Jan 2018"]},{"fact":"Swath width (exact value)","search_attempts":["eoPortal: swath >= 80km x 40km","Skyrocket: not specified","PRNEWSWIRE press release: not specified"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"sar-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"iceye-x1","source":"eoportal-x1"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 5052072e-19b4-4778-a3fa-ad1e77d2a931
slug: intuition-1
status: live
confidence: high
name: Intuition-1
aliases: ["KP Labs Intuition-1"]
operator: kp-labs
actual_launch: "2023-11-09T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: SSO 535 km, 97.5 deg
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
Intuition-1 is a 6U CubeSat operated by KP Labs (Poland) and launched as part of the SpaceX Transporter-9 rideshare mission. The satellite's launch date is reported as 9 November 2023 by eoPortal [^eoportal-intuition-1] and 11 November 2023 by KP Labs' own anniversary article [^kplabs-one-year]; the Transporter-9 lift-off occurred on 11 November 2023 UTC, which is the date consistent with the SpaceX manifest. [^kplabs-one-year]

Intuition-1 carries a hyperspectral imaging payload for technology demonstration and operational data collection. It operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 535 km altitude and 97.5 degree inclination per eoPortal [^eoportal-intuition-1]; the KP Labs mission page references a 600 km altitude in the context of ground sampling distance specifications, which appears to represent a design reference altitude rather than the operational orbit. [^kplabs-intuition-1-page] Orbital period calculations based on KP Labs' reported 5490 orbits in the first year of operations are consistent with the 535 km figure. [^kplabs-one-year] Swath is 40 km per eoPortal. [^eoportal-intuition-1]

The mission demonstrated onboard AI processing of hyperspectral data, with results reported after one year of operations. [^kplabs-one-year]

| Methodology | Evidence class | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated in mission | [^kplabs-intuition-1-page] |
| Onboard AI processing | Demonstrated in mission | [^kplabs-one-year] |

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-intuition-1","url":"https://directory.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/intuition-1","title":"Intuition-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"kplabs-intuition-1-page","url":"https://kplabs.space/projects-and-missions/intuition-1","title":"Intuition-1 mission page, KP Labs","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"kplabs-one-year","url":"https://kplabs.space/news/intuition-1-celebrating-a-year-of-technological-advancements-in-orbit","title":"Intuition-1: Celebrating a Year of Technological Advancements in Orbit, KP Labs","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"orbit altitude","values":["535 km","600 km"],"sources":["eoportal-intuition-1","kplabs-intuition-1-page"],"note":"D1 row orbit_type says 535 km, 97.5 deg. KP Labs operator page says 600 km reference orbit for GSD spec. eoPortal says 535 km. KP Labs one-year anniversary article says 5490 orbits in first year implying ~95 min period consistent with 535 km. 600 km appears to be reference design altitude used for GSD spec calculation, not actual operational altitude. 535 km is likely actual; tier-1 operator page uses 600 km only in GSD context."},{"field":"actual_launch_date","values":["2023-11-09","2023-11-11"],"sources":["eoportal-intuition-1","kplabs-one-year"],"note":"D1 row has 2023-11-09 (Nov 9). eoPortal says Nov 9 2023. KP Labs one-year page says launch Nov 11. SpaceX Transporter-9 launched Nov 11 2023 UTC; Nov 9 may be CET announcement or local date. Using Nov 11 2023 UTC as actual launch date per SpaceX Transporter-9 manifest."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Swath width (operator page says 40 km in eoPortal; KP Labs page does not specify directly)","search_attempts":["eoportal-intuition-1: states 40 km swath","kplabs-intuition-1-page: does not specify swath explicitly"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"intuition-1","source":"kplabs-intuition-1-page"},{"methodology_slug":"onboard-ai-processing","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"intuition-1","source":"kplabs-one-year"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: 419c717e-7f64-40c0-b860-9a008d6fe9a4
slug: landsat-8
status: live
name: Landsat 8
aliases: ["LDCM","Landsat Data Continuity Mission"]
operator: usgs
actual_launch: "2013-02-11T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 705 km, 98.2 degree inclination, 10:12 LTDN
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Landsat 8 is a sun-synchronous Earth observation satellite operated jointly by NASA and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), launched on 11 February 2013 from Vandenberg Air Force Base aboard an Atlas-V-401 rocket [^usgs-l8]. Originally designated the Landsat Data Continuity Mission (LDCM), it was renamed Landsat 8 upon achieving routine operations and carries two science instruments: the Operational Land Imager (OLI) and the Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) [^nasa-l8].

OLI, built by Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, is a nine-band pushbroom multispectral imager spanning 430 to 2,300 nm, including a 15 m panchromatic band and a dedicated coastal/aerosol band at 0.43-0.45 um that was new to the Landsat programme [^usgs-l8] [^nasa-l8]. Its 12-bit radiometric resolution delivers 4,096 grey levels versus the 256 of Landsat 1-7, enabling detection of subtler surface reflectance differences [^nasa-l8]. TIRS, built in-house at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, uses Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) technology to measure land surface temperature in two thermal channels at 100 m native resolution, resampled to 30 m in distributed products [^usgs-l8] [^nasa-l8]. A known stray-light artefact affecting TIRS absolute calibration since launch was corrected in Landsat Collection 2, reducing Band 10 error from 2.1 K to 0.3 K at 300 K; Band 11 retains larger calibration uncertainty and split-window atmospheric correction is not recommended for Landsat 8 TIRS data [^usgs-calib].

The satellite operates in a 705 km sun-synchronous orbit with a 16-day repeat cycle and 10:12 local equatorial crossing time [^usgs-l8]. Since Landsat 9 launched on 27 September 2021 and assumed the primary operational role, Landsat 8 continues in extended operations in the same orbit phased 8 days apart, providing a combined 8-day revisit cadence and adding nearly 1,500 new scenes per day to the USGS archive [^usgs-l9]. By February 2023, Landsat 8 had contributed 2.5 million scenes to the 50-year Landsat archive [^nasa-l8]. Designed for 5 years with consumables supporting a decade of operations, the satellite has exceeded its 10-year design milestone through careful engineering and hardware redundancies [^nasa-l8].

All Landsat 8 data are distributed at no cost by USGS under the free and open data policy established in 2008. Landsat Collection 2 Level-2 science products, including surface reflectance and surface temperature, are available globally through USGS EarthExplorer and cloud-accessible via USGS/AWS Landsat on AWS [^usgs-coll2].

sources:
[{"id":"usgs-l8","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-8","title":"Landsat 8, USGS Landsat Missions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nasa-l8","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat-8/","title":"Landsat 8, NASA Science","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"usgs-calib","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-8-oli-and-tirs-calibration-notices","title":"Landsat 8 OLI and TIRS Calibration Notices, USGS","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"usgs-l9","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-9","title":"Landsat 9, USGS Landsat Missions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"usgs-coll2","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-collection-2","title":"Landsat Collection 2, USGS","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 36cc8348-e8a8-40f1-b08b-01588f2e5116
slug: landsat-9
status: live
name: Landsat 9
aliases: ["Landsat-9","L9"]
operator: usgs
actual_launch: "2021-09-27T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Landsat 9 is an Earth observation satellite operated by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) in partnership with NASA, and the most recent mission in the Landsat programme [^usgs-l9]. Launched on 27 September 2021 from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V 401 rocket, the satellite was placed into a sun-synchronous near-polar orbit at 705 km altitude [^usgs-l9]. NASA managed the space segment and launch; USGS assumed full operational control in August 2022 [^usgs-l9].

The spacecraft was built by Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems (formerly Orbital ATK) on the LEOStar-3 bus platform, the same lineage used for Landsat 8 [^eoportal-l9]. It carries two primary instruments. The Operational Land Imager 2 (OLI-2), built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corporation, is a pushbroom multispectral imager collecting nine reflective spectral bands from 0.43 to 2.29 micrometres plus a 15-metre panchromatic band [^usgs-l9]. OLI-2 captures data at 14-bit radiometric resolution, providing 16,384 intensity levels versus the 4,096 levels of its predecessor OLI on Landsat 8 [^usgs-l9]. The Thermal Infrared Sensor 2 (TIRS-2), built by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, collects two thermal infrared bands at 100-metre native resolution using Quantum Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) arrays [^eoportal-l9]. TIRS-2 was redesigned to substantially reduce the stray-light anomaly that affected TIRS on Landsat 8.

Landsat 9 operates in coordination with Landsat 8, with the two satellites offset by 8 days in the same orbital plane, together delivering nearly 1,500 new scenes per day to the USGS archive [^usgs-l9]. The satellite acquires approximately 750 scenes daily on its own 16-day repeat cycle. All data are distributed free of charge through the USGS Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center as Landsat Collection 2 products, including Level-1 (radiometrically calibrated and orthorectified), Level-2 Surface Reflectance and Surface Temperature, and Level-3 Analysis Ready Data [^usgs-l9].

The mission is designed for a 5-year on-orbit life with consumables supporting more than 10 years of operations [^nasa-l9]. By July 2025, the USGS archive had received one million Landsat 9 Level-1 products.

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, 705 km, 98.2 degree inclination, 10:12 LTDN, 16-day repeat solo / 8-day with Landsat 8

sources:
[{"id":"usgs-l9","url":"https://www.usgs.gov/landsat-missions/landsat-9","title":"Landsat 9, USGS Landsat Missions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nasa-l9","url":"https://science.nasa.gov/mission/landsat-9","title":"Landsat 9, NASA Science Mission","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-l9","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/l/landsat-9","title":"Landsat-9, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 77a4bfb0-77e3-4a8e-8806-97e8f5b06b70
slug: menut
status: live
confidence: medium
name: MENUT
aliases: ["GENEO","Menut","Catalonia EO CubeSat"]
operator: open-cosmos
actual_launch: "2023-01-03T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: SSO
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
MENUT (also known as GENEO) is a 6U CubeSat operated by Open Cosmos on behalf of the Institut Cartografic i Geologic de Catalunya (ICGC), the Catalan regional mapping and geosciences agency. [^open-cosmos-menut-launch] [^skyrocket-menut] The satellite launched on 3 January 2023 as part of the SpaceX Transporter-6 rideshare mission and began returning imagery in February 2023. [^satnews-menut-images]

MENUT carries a multispectral optical imager and operates in a sun-synchronous orbit. The Open Cosmos mission page gives an orbital altitude of 528 km [^open-cosmos-menut-launch]; an aggregated reference value of approximately 538 km has appeared in secondary catalogue sources, with the operator figure (528 km) reflecting the deployment specification. [^skyrocket-menut] Swath is 19.5 km per the Open Cosmos mission page [^open-cosmos-menut-launch]; no independent confirmation of this value was available in the cited sources. The satellite's operational status as of May 2026 has not been formally updated in publicly accessible sources since the initial imagery release in early 2023, though data availability through Open Cosmos implies continued operations. [^open-cosmos-missions-page]

| Methodology | Evidence class | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Multispectral imaging | Demonstrated in mission | [^open-cosmos-menut-launch] |

sources:
[{"id":"skyrocket-menut","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/menut.htm","title":"MENUT, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"open-cosmos-menut-launch","url":"https://www.open-cosmos.com/launches/menut","title":"Menut mission page, Open Cosmos","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"open-cosmos-missions-page","url":"https://www.open-cosmos.com/missions","title":"Open Cosmos missions, operator mission list","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"satnews-menut-images","url":"https://news.satnews.com/2023/02/12/first-open-cosmos-menut-satellite-eo-images-received/","title":"First Open Cosmos MENUT satellite EO images received, SatNews","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"swath_km","values":["19.5 km","not-in-D1"],"sources":["open-cosmos-menut-launch","skyrocket-menut"],"note":"Open Cosmos launch page states 19.5 km swath; D1 row has swath_km=null; 19.5 km sourced from operator mission page"},{"field":"orbit altitude","values":["528 km","538 km"],"sources":["open-cosmos-menut-launch","nanosats-menut-search"],"note":"Open Cosmos launch page: 528 km SSO. Search result from nanosats/Gunter aggregator implies ~538 km. Operator page (528 km) takes precedence; both within typical deployment dispersion for Transporter-series."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Orbit inclination (SSO confirmed, exact inclination not stated in operator source)","search_attempts":["open-cosmos-menut-launch: states SSO 528 km","skyrocket-menut: does not detail inclination","nanosats.eu Menut page: navigation only, no data"]},{"fact":"Exact operational status as of 2026-05-24","search_attempts":["open-cosmos-menut-launch: implies active (data for sale)","SatNews Feb 2023: first images received","No 2025-2026 status update found"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"multispectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"menut","source":"open-cosmos-menut-launch"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"flag","structure":"clean","depth":"flag","per_instance_variation":"na"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null}


atlas_id: b857a023-4f70-413d-adf0-2a921a547985
slug: nanomagsat
status: live
confidence: high
name: NanoMagSat
aliases: ["Scout 3","NanoMagSat Scout","ESA NanoMagSat"]
operator: esa
planned_launch: "2027-12-31T00:00:00.000Z"
orbit_type: LEO 545 km, multi-inclination (60 deg x2 + polar x1)
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
NanoMagSat is a three-satellite geomagnetic science constellation operated by ESA under the Scout programme (FutureEO, Scout 3). Open Cosmos is the prime contractor for the 16U CubeSat bus, with each satellite massing approximately 24-30 kg.[^spacenews-nanomagsat][^eoportal-nanomagsat] The three satellites are designated NanoMagSat-Alpha (60-degree inclination), NanoMagSat-Bravo (60-degree inclination, 90-degree RAAN offset), and NanoMagSat-Charlie (near-polar inclination).[^wiki-nanomagsat]

Orbital altitude is cited as 545 km by SpaceNews and Via Satellite[^spacenews-nanomagsat][^via-satellite-nanomagsat], while eoPortal states 575 km[^eoportal-nanomagsat]; the 545 km figure reflects the majority of independent sources.

Each satellite carries a Miniaturised Absolute Magnetometer (MAM) and High-Frequency Magnetometer (HFM) developed by CEA-Leti (France), mounted on a deployable boom (Comet Ingenieria/Prosix Engineering, Spain), plus a Multi-Needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP) from the University of Oslo, dual star cameras, and dual-frequency GNSS receivers.[^eoportal-nanomagsat] The mission monitors Earth's geomagnetic field and ionospheric plasma, complementing ESA's Swarm mission and supporting the INTERMAGNET ground network.[^wiki-nanomagsat]

Scientific leadership is provided by Universite Paris Cite and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris. The EUR 34.6 million implementation contract with Open Cosmos was signed in November 2024, following a EUR 5.2 million Phase A/B1 study from May 2022.[^spacenews-nanomagsat] NanoMagSat-Alpha is planned for launch in late 2027; launch dates for Bravo and Charlie had not been publicly confirmed as of the research date (2026-05-24).[^via-satellite-nanomagsat] Mission duration is three years.[^eoportal-nanomagsat]

sources:
[{"id":"wiki-nanomagsat","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/NanoMagSat","title":"NanoMagSat, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"spacenews-nanomagsat","url":"https://spacenews.com/esa-opencosmos-sign-contract-for-nanomagsat-mission/","title":"ESA, Open Cosmos sign contract for NanoMagSat mission, SpaceNews","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-nanomagsat","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/nanomagsat","title":"NanoMagSat, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"via-satellite-nanomagsat","url":"https://www.satellitetoday.com/imagery-and-sensing/2024/12/02/open-cosmos-to-build-3-satellites-for-esa-to-monitor-earths-magnetic-field/","title":"Open Cosmos to Build 3 Satellites for ESA to Monitor Earth Magnetic Field, Via Satellite","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"open-cosmos-missions-page","url":"https://www.open-cosmos.com/missions","title":"Open Cosmos missions, operator mission list","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"orbit_altitude_km","values":["545","575"],"sources":["spacenews-nanomagsat","eoportal-nanomagsat"],"note":"545 km from SpaceNews, Wikipedia, Via Satellite (3 independent tier-2/community sources); 575 km from eoPortal (tier-4 aggregator). 545 km adopted as D1 value already reflects this. eoPortal likely derived from earlier design iteration."},{"field":"satellite_mass_kg","values":["24-30","~30"],"sources":["eoportal-nanomagsat","spacenews-nanomagsat"],"note":"Minor range variation; consistent across sources."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Individual launch dates for NanoMagSat-B and NanoMagSat-C (post-A manifest)","search_attempts":["ESA Scout NanoMagSat launch schedule 2027 2028","SpaceNews ESA NanoMagSat contract Open Cosmos launch"]},{"fact":"Exact RAAN values for 60-degree inclination pair","search_attempts":["NanoMagSat RAAN offset orbit configuration"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"open-cosmos","class":"companies","context":"Prime contractor for NanoMagSat bus; already confirmed in D1 as 'open-cosmos'"}],"product_methodologies":[],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"mission_notes":{"type":"technology-demonstrator-constellation","class_note":"3-CubeSat geomagnetic science constellation under ESA Scout programme; not an imaging mission","satellites":[{"name":"NanoMagSat-Alpha","alias":"NanoMagSat-A","orbit_inclination_deg":60},{"name":"NanoMagSat-Bravo","alias":"NanoMagSat-B","orbit_inclination_deg":60,"raan_offset_deg":90},{"name":"NanoMagSat-Charlie","alias":"NanoMagSat-C","orbit_inclination_deg":"near-polar"}],"orbit_altitude_km":545,"bus":"16U CubeSat, ~24-30 kg, Open Cosmos","payload_instruments":["Miniaturised Absolute Magnetometer (MAM) -- CEA-Leti, France","High-Frequency Magnetometer (HFM) -- CEA-Leti, France","Multi-Needle Langmuir Probe (m-NLP) -- University of Oslo","Star cameras (x2)","Dual-frequency GNSS receivers (x2)"],"boom":"Deployable boom (Comet Ingenieria / Prosix Engineering, Spain); MAM at tip, HFM midway","mission_duration_years":3,"planned_launch":"NanoMagSat-A late 2027; B and C follow within months","programme":"ESA Scout (FutureEO programme), Scout 3","contract":"EUR 34.6 million, signed Nov 2024; prior EUR 5.2 million Phase A/B1 May 2022","scientific_lead":"Universite Paris Cite, Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris","international_partners":["CEA-Leti (France) -- magnetometers","University of Oslo (Norway) -- m-NLP","Comet Ingenieria / Prosix Engineering (Spain) -- boom"],"swath_km":null,"revisit_days":null,"science_objective":"Monitor Earth geomagnetic field and ionospheric plasma; complement ESA Swarm mission; support INTERMAGNET network"}}


atlas_id: 5441358e-7956-4182-a762-e923d3ac083a
slug: pixxel-firefly-1
status: live
confidence: high
name: Pixxel Firefly-1
aliases: ["FFLY-1","Firefly 1"]
operator: pixxel
platform: pixxel-firefly-bus
launch_vehicle: spacex-transporter
actual_launch: "2025-01-14T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
Pixxel Firefly-1 (FFLY-1) is the first satellite in Pixxel's Firefly Phase 1 hyperspectral constellation. It was launched on 14 January 2025 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-12 rideshare from Vandenberg SFB, integrated by Exolaunch.[^pixxel-launch1] The satellite operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, 97.65-degree inclination, with a 10:00-11:00 AM local solar time equator crossing.[^pixxel-firefly-page]

The Firefly hyperspectral imager covers a spectral range cited as 450-900 nm by the operator[^pixxel-firefly-page] and 470-850 nm by eoPortal[^eoportal-pixxel]; the operator-published figure is used here. Band count is reported as 135+ in Pixxel's six-month in-orbit status report[^pixxel-status-report] and as 150 by Gunter's Space Page[^skyrocket-firefly]; the operator figure of 135+ is the operationally confirmed value. Spatial resolution is 5 m, swath width 40 km, and single-satellite revisit is 17 days.[^pixxel-firefly-page] With all six Phase 1 satellites operational, the constellation achieves approximately 24-hour global revisit.[^pixxel-status-report]

Firefly-1 has a mass of approximately 60 kg and is built on Pixxel's proprietary Firefly Bus. Commissioning was completed and the satellite was operational as of mid-2025.[^pixxel-status-report] Data downlink rate is 500+ Mbps peak.[^pixxel-status-report]

| Methodology | Evidence class | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated (in-orbit) | Pixxel six-month status report[^pixxel-status-report] |

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, approximately 550 km, 97.65 degree inclination, 10:00-11:00 local solar time equator crossing

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-launch1","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-worlds-highest-resolution-hyperspectral-satellites-kickstarts-firefly-constellation-for-climate-action","title":"Pixxel launches first three Firefly hyperspectral satellites on Transporter-12, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-status-report","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/knowledge-hub/six-months-in-orbit-firefly-status-check-1","title":"Six Months in Orbit: Firefly Status Check, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-firefly-page","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/firefly","title":"Firefly: World's Highest-Resolution Hyperspectral Satellites, Pixxel","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-pixxel","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/pixxel","title":"Pixxel Hyperspectral Imaging Constellation, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"spectral_range_nm","values":["450-900","470-850","470-900"],"sources":["skyrocket-firefly","eoportal-pixxel","pixxel-firefly-page"],"note":"Pixxel operator page (pixxel.space/firefly) states 450-900 nm; eoPortal states 470-850 nm; Skyrocket states 450-900 nm. Operator page (tier-2) adopted as primary. eoPortal likely earlier spec sheet version."},{"field":"band_count","values":["135+","150"],"sources":["pixxel-status-report","skyrocket-firefly"],"note":"Status report (6 months in orbit, operator-press tier) states 135+; Skyrocket (community tier) states 150. 135+ adopted as operator-affirmed figure."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact COSPAR ID for Firefly-1 (2025-009CW per Skyrocket, unconfirmed by official registry at time of research)","search_attempts":["Pixxel Firefly COSPAR 2025-009CW official","USSPACECOM Firefly satellite designation 2025"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"pixxel-firefly-1","source":"pixxel-status-report"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"mission_notes":{"type":"constellation-member","constellation":"Pixxel Firefly Phase 1 (6-satellite VNIR hyperspectral)","batch":"Batch 1 (Jan 2025) -- Firefly 1, 2, 3 launched together on SpaceX Transporter-12","cospar_id":"2025-009CW","launch_date":"2025-01-14","launch_vehicle":"SpaceX Falcon 9, Transporter-12 rideshare, Vandenberg SFB","integration_partner":"Exolaunch","orbit_type":"Sun-synchronous LEO","orbit_altitude_km":550,"orbit_inclination_deg":97.65,"equator_crossing_lst":"10:00-11:00 AM","mass_kg":60,"bus":"Pixxel Firefly Bus (proprietary)","payload":"Pixxel Firefly hyperspectral imager","spectral_range_nm":"450-900 (VNIR)","band_count":"135+","spatial_resolution_m":5,"swath_km":40,"revisit_days_single_satellite":17,"revisit_days_constellation":"~24h (6-satellite Phase 1)","orbital_phasing":"~120 degree separation between batch-1 satellites achieved via planned phasing burns (per 6-month status report)","commissioning_status":"Completed; operational as of mid-2025","data_downlink_mbps":"500+ peak","current_status":"operational","current_geographic_priority":"global"}}


atlas_id: 2afe1f74-39bb-4019-8503-575ebeeb7c7a
slug: pixxel-firefly-2
status: live
confidence: high
name: Pixxel Firefly-2
aliases: ["FFLY-2","Firefly 2"]
operator: pixxel
platform: pixxel-firefly-bus
launch_vehicle: spacex-transporter
actual_launch: "2025-01-14T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
Pixxel Firefly-2 (FFLY-2) is the second satellite in Pixxel's Firefly Phase 1 hyperspectral constellation. It was launched on 14 January 2025 alongside Firefly-1 and Firefly-3 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-12 rideshare from Vandenberg SFB, integrated by Exolaunch.[^pixxel-launch1] The satellite operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, 97.65-degree inclination, with a 10:00-11:00 AM local solar time equator crossing.[^pixxel-firefly-page]

The Firefly hyperspectral imager covers a spectral range cited as 450-900 nm by the operator[^pixxel-firefly-page] and 470-850 nm by eoPortal[^eoportal-pixxel]; the operator-published figure is used here. Band count is reported as 135+ in Pixxel's six-month in-orbit status report[^pixxel-status-report] and as 150 by Gunter's Space Page[^skyrocket-firefly]; the operator figure of 135+ is the operationally confirmed value. Spatial resolution is 5 m, swath width 40 km, and single-satellite revisit is 17 days.[^pixxel-firefly-page] With all six Phase 1 satellites operational, the constellation achieves approximately 24-hour global revisit.[^pixxel-status-report]

Firefly-2 has a mass of approximately 60 kg and is built on Pixxel's proprietary Firefly Bus. Orbital phasing of approximately 120 degrees relative to Firefly-1 and -3 within the batch was achieved via planned phasing burns.[^pixxel-status-report] No per-satellite capability or orbital differences within the batch have been reported. Commissioning was completed and the satellite was operational as of mid-2025.[^pixxel-status-report]

| Methodology | Evidence class | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated (in-orbit) | Pixxel six-month status report[^pixxel-status-report] |

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, approximately 550 km, 97.65 degree inclination, 10:00-11:00 local solar time equator crossing

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-launch1","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-worlds-highest-resolution-hyperspectral-satellites-kickstarts-firefly-constellation-for-climate-action","title":"Pixxel launches first three Firefly hyperspectral satellites on Transporter-12, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-status-report","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/knowledge-hub/six-months-in-orbit-firefly-status-check-1","title":"Six Months in Orbit: Firefly Status Check, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-firefly-page","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/firefly","title":"Firefly: World's Highest-Resolution Hyperspectral Satellites, Pixxel","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-pixxel","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/pixxel","title":"Pixxel Hyperspectral Imaging Constellation, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"spectral_range_nm","values":["450-900","470-850"],"sources":["pixxel-firefly-page","eoportal-pixxel"],"note":"Operator page (450-900 nm) adopted; eoPortal (470-850 nm) is aggregator. Same adjudication as Firefly-1."},{"field":"band_count","values":["135+","150"],"sources":["pixxel-status-report","skyrocket-firefly"],"note":"Same as Firefly-1: 135+ adopted from operator status report."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact COSPAR ID for Firefly-2 (2025-009CZ per Skyrocket, unconfirmed by official registry)","search_attempts":["Pixxel Firefly 2 COSPAR 2025-009CZ official registry"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"pixxel-firefly-2","source":"pixxel-status-report"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"mission_notes":{"type":"constellation-member","constellation":"Pixxel Firefly Phase 1 (6-satellite VNIR hyperspectral)","batch":"Batch 1 (Jan 2025) -- Firefly 1, 2, 3 launched together on SpaceX Transporter-12","cospar_id":"2025-009CZ","launch_date":"2025-01-14","launch_vehicle":"SpaceX Falcon 9, Transporter-12 rideshare, Vandenberg SFB","integration_partner":"Exolaunch","orbit_type":"Sun-synchronous LEO","orbit_altitude_km":550,"orbit_inclination_deg":97.65,"equator_crossing_lst":"10:00-11:00 AM","mass_kg":60,"bus":"Pixxel Firefly Bus (proprietary)","payload":"Pixxel Firefly hyperspectral imager","spectral_range_nm":"450-900 (VNIR)","band_count":"135+","spatial_resolution_m":5,"swath_km":40,"revisit_days_single_satellite":17,"revisit_days_constellation":"~24h (6-satellite Phase 1)","orbital_phasing":"~120 degree separation between batch-1 satellites achieved via planned phasing burns","commissioning_status":"Completed; operational as of mid-2025","data_downlink_mbps":"500+ peak","current_status":"operational","current_geographic_priority":"global","per_instance_variation":"Uniform design with Firefly-1 and -3; no reported per-satellite capability or orbital differences within batch-1"}}


atlas_id: e223b531-892f-40f0-8e1a-882da3a53136
slug: pixxel-firefly-3
status: live
confidence: high
name: Pixxel Firefly-3
aliases: ["FFLY-3","Firefly 3"]
operator: pixxel
platform: pixxel-firefly-bus
launch_vehicle: spacex-transporter
actual_launch: "2025-01-14T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
Pixxel Firefly-3 (FFLY-3) is the third satellite in Pixxel's Firefly Phase 1 hyperspectral constellation. It was launched on 14 January 2025 alongside Firefly-1 and Firefly-2 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter-12 rideshare from Vandenberg SFB, integrated by Exolaunch.[^pixxel-launch1] The satellite operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, 97.65-degree inclination, with a 10:00-11:00 AM local solar time equator crossing.[^pixxel-firefly-page]

The Firefly hyperspectral imager covers a spectral range cited as 450-900 nm by the operator[^pixxel-firefly-page] and 470-850 nm by eoPortal[^eoportal-pixxel]; the operator-published figure is used here. Band count is reported as 135+ in Pixxel's six-month in-orbit status report[^pixxel-status-report] and as 150 by Gunter's Space Page[^skyrocket-firefly]; the operator figure of 135+ is the operationally confirmed value. Spatial resolution is 5 m, swath width 40 km, and single-satellite revisit is 17 days.[^pixxel-firefly-page] With all six Phase 1 satellites operational, the constellation achieves approximately 24-hour global revisit.[^pixxel-status-report]

Firefly-3 has a mass of approximately 60 kg and is built on Pixxel's proprietary Firefly Bus. No per-satellite capability or orbital differences within the batch have been reported. Commissioning was completed and the satellite was operational as of mid-2025.[^pixxel-status-report]

| Methodology | Evidence class | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated (in-orbit) | Pixxel six-month status report[^pixxel-status-report] |

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, approximately 550 km, 97.65 degree inclination, 10:00-11:00 local solar time equator crossing

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-launch1","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-worlds-highest-resolution-hyperspectral-satellites-kickstarts-firefly-constellation-for-climate-action","title":"Pixxel launches first three Firefly hyperspectral satellites on Transporter-12, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-status-report","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/knowledge-hub/six-months-in-orbit-firefly-status-check-1","title":"Six Months in Orbit: Firefly Status Check, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-firefly-page","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/firefly","title":"Firefly: World's Highest-Resolution Hyperspectral Satellites, Pixxel","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-pixxel","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/pixxel","title":"Pixxel Hyperspectral Imaging Constellation, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"spectral_range_nm","values":["450-900","470-850"],"sources":["pixxel-firefly-page","eoportal-pixxel"],"note":"Operator page (450-900 nm) adopted; eoPortal (470-850 nm) is aggregator. Same adjudication as Firefly-1."},{"field":"band_count","values":["135+","150"],"sources":["pixxel-status-report","skyrocket-firefly"],"note":"135+ adopted from operator status report."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact COSPAR ID for Firefly-3 (2025-009DF per Skyrocket, unconfirmed by official registry)","search_attempts":["Pixxel Firefly 3 COSPAR 2025-009DF official registry"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"pixxel-firefly-3","source":"pixxel-status-report"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"mission_notes":{"type":"constellation-member","constellation":"Pixxel Firefly Phase 1 (6-satellite VNIR hyperspectral)","batch":"Batch 1 (Jan 2025) -- Firefly 1, 2, 3 launched together on SpaceX Transporter-12","cospar_id":"2025-009DF","launch_date":"2025-01-14","launch_vehicle":"SpaceX Falcon 9, Transporter-12 rideshare, Vandenberg SFB","integration_partner":"Exolaunch","orbit_type":"Sun-synchronous LEO","orbit_altitude_km":550,"orbit_inclination_deg":97.65,"equator_crossing_lst":"10:00-11:00 AM","mass_kg":60,"bus":"Pixxel Firefly Bus (proprietary)","payload":"Pixxel Firefly hyperspectral imager","spectral_range_nm":"450-900 (VNIR)","band_count":"135+","spatial_resolution_m":5,"swath_km":40,"revisit_days_single_satellite":17,"revisit_days_constellation":"~24h (6-satellite Phase 1)","orbital_phasing":"~120 degree separation between batch-1 satellites achieved via planned phasing burns","commissioning_status":"Completed; operational as of mid-2025","data_downlink_mbps":"500+ peak","current_status":"operational","current_geographic_priority":"global","per_instance_variation":"Uniform design with Firefly-1 and -2; no reported per-satellite capability or orbital differences within batch-1"}}


atlas_id: 78900cc7-fbcf-42a5-a67f-6b732ac2c0d7
slug: pixxel-firefly-4
status: live
confidence: high
name: Pixxel Firefly-4
aliases: ["FFLY-4","Firefly 4"]
operator: pixxel
platform: pixxel-firefly-bus
actual_launch: "2025-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
Pixxel Firefly-4 (FFLY-4) is the first satellite in the second launch batch of Pixxel's Firefly Phase 1 hyperspectral constellation. It was launched on 26 August 2025 alongside Firefly-5 and Firefly-6 aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 (NAOS mission) from Vandenberg SFB.[^pixxel-launch2] The satellite operates in a Sun-synchronous orbit at approximately 550 km altitude, 97.65-degree inclination, with a 10:00-11:00 AM local solar time equator crossing.[^pixxel-firefly-page]

The Firefly hyperspectral imager covers a spectral range cited as 450-900 nm by the operator[^pixxel-firefly-page] and 470-850 nm by eoPortal[^eoportal-pixxel]; the operator-published figure is used here. Spatial resolution is 5 m, swath width 40 km, and single-satellite revisit is 17 days, consistent with the batch-1 specification per the operator press release.[^pixxel-launch2][^pixxel-firefly-page] With all six Phase 1 satellites operational, the constellation achieves approximately 24-hour global revisit.[^pixxel-firefly-page]

Firefly-4 has a mass of approximately 60 kg and is built on Pixxel's proprietary Firefly Bus. Orbital phasing configuration of the batch-2 satellites relative to batch-1 to achieve the full-constellation revisit cadence had not been publicly confirmed as of the research date (2026-05-24).[^pixxel-launch2] No per-satellite capability or orbital differences within the batch-2 group have been reported.

| Methodology | Evidence class | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Hyperspectral imaging | Demonstrated (in-orbit) | Pixxel batch-2 launch announcement[^pixxel-launch2] |

sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-launch2","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-three-more-fireflies-with-spacex-paving-the-way-for-planetary-scale-hyperspectral-imaging","title":"Pixxel launches second batch of three Fireflies with SpaceX, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"pixxel-firefly-page","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/firefly","title":"Firefly: World's Highest-Resolution Hyperspectral Satellites, Pixxel","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-pixxel","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/pixxel","title":"Pixxel Hyperspectral Imaging Constellation, eoPortal","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"spectral_range_nm","values":["450-900","470-850"],"sources":["pixxel-firefly-page","eoportal-pixxel"],"note":"Operator page (450-900 nm) adopted over eoPortal aggregator value. Same as batch-1."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Exact COSPAR ID for Firefly-4 (2025-188F per Skyrocket, unconfirmed by official registry)","search_attempts":["Pixxel Firefly 4 COSPAR 2025-188F official"]},{"fact":"Orbital phasing configuration for batch-2 relative to batch-1 (60-degree or other separation for global daily revisit)","search_attempts":["Pixxel Firefly constellation phasing batch 2 August 2025","Pixxel 6-satellite revisit configuration orbit"]}],"open_fk_targets":[],"product_methodologies":[{"methodology_slug":"hyperspectral-imaging","evidence_class":"demonstrated","demonstrated_via_mission":"pixxel-firefly-4","source":"pixxel-launch2"}],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"clean","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"mission_notes":{"type":"constellation-member","constellation":"Pixxel Firefly Phase 1 (6-satellite VNIR hyperspectral)","batch":"Batch 2 (Aug 2025) -- Firefly 4, 5, 6 launched together on SpaceX Falcon 9 NAOS mission","cospar_id":"2025-188F","launch_date":"2025-08-26","launch_vehicle":"SpaceX Falcon 9 (NAOS mission), Vandenberg SFB","orbit_type":"Sun-synchronous LEO","orbit_altitude_km":550,"orbit_inclination_deg":97.65,"equator_crossing_lst":"10:00-11:00 AM","mass_kg":60,"bus":"Pixxel Firefly Bus (proprietary)","payload":"Pixxel Firefly hyperspectral imager","spectral_range_nm":"450-900 (VNIR)","band_count":"135+","spatial_resolution_m":5,"swath_km":40,"revisit_days_single_satellite":17,"revisit_days_constellation":"~24h (6-satellite Phase 1)","commissioning_status":"Operational","current_status":"operational","current_geographic_priority":"global","per_instance_variation":"Uniform design with Firefly-5 and -6; same specs as batch-1 per operator press release. No batch-2 specific status report published as of research date."}}


atlas_id: ead90b30-5181-42b1-a85b-1d8abf796045
slug: pixxel-firefly-5
status: live
name: Pixxel Firefly-5
aliases: ["FFLY-5","Firefly 5"]
operator: pixxel
platform: pixxel-firefly-bus
actual_launch: "2025-08-26T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-launch2","url":"https://www.pixxel.space/news/pixxel-launches-three-more-fireflies-with-spacex-paving-the-way-for-planetary-scale-hyperspectral-imaging","title":"Pixxel launches second batch of three Fireflies with SpaceX, Pixxel","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"skyrocket-firefly","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/firefly-1.htm","title":"Firefly 1 to 6, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 30fc6dd4-b8dd-4368-8ef6-d15182cae0dd
slug: pixxel-honeybee-hb0
status: live
name: Pixxel Honeybee Zero (HB0)
aliases: ["Honeybee Zero","HB0 mission","Pixxel HB0"]
operator: pixxel
planned_launch: "2026-12-31T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: planned
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, approximately 500 to 550 km (TBD), 97.45 degree inclination (planned)
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"pixxel-docs-tech-demo","url":"https://docs.pixxel.space/documentation/satellite_and_imagery/tech_demo_overview","title":"Tech Demonstrators overview, Pixxel Documentation Portal","tier":"operator-engineering","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 339d95ef-d633-4f80-9cdf-5e0a9e6d63d8
slug: prisma
status: live
name: PRISMA
aliases: ["PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa"]
operator: asi
actual_launch: "2019-03-22T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 615 km, 97.85 deg inclination, 10:30 LTDN, 29-day nadir repeat
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: community
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
PRISMA (PRecursore IperSpettrale della Missione Applicativa) is an Italian hyperspectral Earth observation satellite operated by the Agenzia Spaziale Italiana (ASI) [^eoportal-prisma]. The satellite was launched on 22 March 2019 aboard a Vega VV14 rocket from Kourou, French Guiana [^eoportal-prisma], and entered routine operations in October 2019 after a six-month commissioning phase.

The spacecraft was built by Carlo Gavazzi Space (CGS, subsequently OHB Italia) as prime contractor on an evolved MITA platform bus, with the hyperspectral payload electronics supplied by Selex ES (now part of Leonardo) [^eoportal-prisma]. It flies a 614-615 km sun-synchronous orbit with a 10:30 local time descending node and a 29-day exact repeat cycle. Tasking is supported via roll manoeuvres yielding a 7-day relook capability.

The primary instrument is the PRISMA Hyperspectral Camera (HYC), a dual-detector pushbroom imaging spectrometer covering 400-2505 nm in 239 contiguous channels: 66 VNIR channels (400-1010 nm) and 173 SWIR channels (920-2505 nm), each at up to 12 nm spectral resolution and 30 m ground sampling distance over a 30 km swath [^eoportal-prisma]. A co-aligned panchromatic camera provides a single 400-700 nm channel at 5 m GSD. The VNIR channel peak SNR reaches approximately 600 at 0.65 um; SWIR SNR exceeds 400 at 1.55 um [^eoportal-prisma]. The SWIR range to 2505 nm covers the diagnostic absorption features of clay, carbonate, sulphate, and phyllosilicate minerals used in geological mapping and mineral exploration.

PRISMA products are distributed at levels L0 (raw), L1 (TOA radiometrically and geometrically corrected radiance), L2B (surface reflectance), L2C (atmospherically corrected with constituent maps), and L2D (surface reflectance with enhanced atmospheric correction) [^asi-prisma-en]. Data are freely available to registered users via the ASI CNM Access System at prisma.asi.it. PRISMA became a Copernicus Contributing Mission in June 2022, broadening its integration into the European EO data ecosystem.

The satellite reached its 5-year design life in March 2024 and has continued in extended operations. As of April 2025 ASI confirmed active data acquisition, including nighttime SWIR imaging of gas flares in Venezuela [^asi-gas-flare-2025]. No decommission announcement has been made as of the research date.

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-prisma","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/prisma-hyperspectral","title":"PRISMA hyperspectral mission, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"asi-prisma-en","url":"https://www.asi.it/en/earth-science/prisma/","title":"PRISMA mission overview, ASI Earth Science","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"asi-gas-flare-2025","url":"https://www.asi.it/en/2025/05/prisma-detects-the-gas-flares-in-venezuela/","title":"PRISMA detects gas flares in Venezuela, ASI news May 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 85c49012-44d2-409f-9c66-946b70689e6b
slug: rnlaf-sar-1
status: live
name: RNLAF SAR-1
aliases: ["Netherlands SAR-1","Dutch SAR satellite 1","RNLAF ISR SAR 1"]
operator: iceye
orbit_type: SSO (planned, altitude not publicly confirmed)
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"iceye-rnlaf-pr","url":"https://www.iceye.com/newsroom/press-releases/iceye-to-deliver-space-based-isr-capability-to-the-royal-netherlands-air-force","title":"ICEYE to deliver space-based ISR capability to the Royal Netherlands Air Force, ICEYE press release, June 23 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 392c8af7-1763-470f-a730-44e0938569c4
slug: sentinel-1a
status: live
confidence: high
name: Sentinel-1A
aliases: ["S1A","Sentinel-1 A"]
operator: esa
actual_launch: "2014-04-03T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: degraded
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 693 km, 98.18 degree inclination
current_geographic_priority: Global; tropical forests, Europe, and Canada prioritised for daily or sub-daily acquisition
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-sourced
body:
Sentinel-1A is a C-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) satellite operated by ESA under the Copernicus programme. It launched on 3 April 2014 into a sun-synchronous orbit at 693 km altitude, 98.18 degree inclination, with a 12-day / 175-orbit repeat cycle and a 98.6-minute orbital period. The default Interferometric Wide Swath (IW) mode covers a 250 km swath with dual-polarisation (VV+VH or HH+HV). The satellite has been operating in a degraded state since April 2024, when a thruster anomaly required suspension of out-of-plane inclination manoeuvres and expansion of the orbit maintenance tube from 100 m to 200 m RMS diameter; data acquisition continues and InSAR performance remains within acceptable limits per ESA assessment.[^copernicus-thruster-anomaly][^nasa-earthdata-thruster] ESA's public facts page describes the satellite as operational; the Copernicus operational announcement and eoportal record the degraded designation.[^esa-facts][^eoportal-s1] Sentinel-1C, launched 5 December 2024, now provides nominal constellation coverage alongside the degraded Sentinel-1A.[^esa-constellation] Single-satellite revisit is 6 days; coverage priority is global, with tropical forests, Europe, and Canada scheduled for daily or sub-daily acquisition. The on-board archive supports approximately 12 years of imagery from launch through mid-2026.[^esa-facts] No planned decommission date has been announced; design life is a minimum of 7 years. The spacecraft was developed by an industrial consortium led by Thales Alenia Space and Airbus Defence and Space.

sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Facts_and_figures","title":"Sentinel-1 Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-instrument","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Instrument","title":"Sentinel-1 Instrument page, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-constellation","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Satellite_constellation","title":"Sentinel-1 Satellite Constellation, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-s1","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/sentinel-1","title":"Copernicus Sentinel-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"copernicus-thruster-anomaly","url":"https://sentinels.copernicus.eu/-/sentinel-1a-change-in-the-orbit-control-strategy","title":"Sentinel-1A change in orbit control strategy, Copernicus/ESA, 17 April 2024","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nasa-earthdata-thruster","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/news/thruster-anomaly-affects-sentinel-1-orbit-control","title":"Thruster Anomaly Affects Sentinel-1 Orbit Control, NASA Earthdata, 17 April 2024","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
{"schema_version":1,"researched_at":"2026-05-24","researched_by":"atlas-researcher","discrepancies":[{"field":"current_status","values":["degraded","operational"],"sources":["eoPortal (eoportal-s1)","ESA Facts and Figures (esa-facts)"],"note":"ESA Facts page lists satellite as operational; eoportal and Copernicus operational announcement (April 2024 thruster anomaly) confirm degraded: out-of-plane inclination maneuvers suspended since mid-April 2024, orbit tube expanded from 100m to 200m RMS diameter. Row value 'degraded' is tier-1 supported via Copernicus announcement; ESA marketing page does not reflect anomaly."}],"unverified":[{"fact":"Sentinel-1A planned_decommission date","search_attempts":["ESA Facts and Figures page -- no planned decommission date stated","eoportal mission page -- design life 7 years minimum; actual decommission not announced"]},{"fact":"Sentinel-1A actual_end_of_life","search_attempts":["Satellite operational as of 2026-05-24; no EOL announced"]},{"fact":"Exact polarisation modes available in all four imaging modes","search_attempts":["eoportal: IW/EW/SM dual-pol HH+HV or VV+VH; WV single-pol HH or VV -- confirmed tier-2"]}],"open_fk_targets":[{"slug":"sentinel-1b","class":"missions","context":"Sentinel-1B is sibling mission; failed Dec 2021, declared non-recoverable Aug 2022; not yet in catalogue"},{"slug":"thales-alenia-space","class":"companies","context":"Industrial prime contractor (consortium lead with Airbus Defence and Space) for Sentinel-1 spacecraft development"},{"slug":"airbus-defence-and-space","class":"companies","context":"Co-lead of industrial consortium for Sentinel-1 spacecraft"}],"product_methodologies":[],"cross_entity_corrections":[],"layer_0_extraction_notes":[],"five_pattern_check":{"taxonomic":"clean","currency":"flag","structure":"clean","depth":"clean","per_instance_variation":"clean"},"blocked_reason":null,"deferral_reason":null,"notes":"Currency flag: current_status=degraded is accurate as of 2026-05-24 (thruster anomaly April 2024 suspends out-of-plane maneuvers; acquisitions continue; InSAR impact within acceptable limits per ESA assessment). Sentinel-1C launched 2024-12-05 now provides nominal constellation coverage alongside degraded S-1A. Archive_depth_years=12 is consistent with April 2014 launch through May 2026 (12 years). Revisit_days=6 reflects single-satellite revisit (12-day ground repeat / 2 passes); with S-1C the effective constellation revisit is 6 days but this row is per-mission. orbit_type='Sun-synchronous, 693 km, 98.18 degree inclination' verified: eoportal gives 693 km altitude, 98.18 inclination, 98.6 min period, 12-day 175-orbit repeat cycle. Swath_km=250 applies to default IW mode."}


atlas_id: 6bad60cd-e7f6-489f-b6e8-ff38575da7c4
slug: sentinel-1c
status: live
name: Sentinel-1C
aliases: ["S1C","Sentinel-1 C"]
operator: esa
actual_launch: "2024-12-05T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 693 km, polar, 18:00 LTDN (constellation design)
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Sentinel-1C is the third satellite in the Copernicus Sentinel-1 C-band SAR constellation, operated by ESA under the EU Copernicus programme [^esa-facts]. It launched on 5 December 2024 aboard a Vega-C rocket (flight VV25) from Europe's Spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana [^esa-press-release]. The satellite was built by Thales Alenia Space as prime contractor, with Airbus Defence and Space delivering the C-SAR radar instrument [^esa-press-release]. Each Sentinel-1 satellite has a launch mass of 2,185 kg [^esa-constellation].

Sentinel-1C occupies a sun-synchronous polar orbit at 693 km altitude, paired with Sentinel-1D (launched November 2025) to constitute the current operational Sentinel-1 constellation [^esa-facts]. Its arrival restored the two-satellite constellation design following the retirement of Sentinel-1B, which suffered a power failure in December 2021 and was decommissioned in 2022 -- a gap of approximately 2.5 years during which only Sentinel-1A operated. Sentinel-1C data became available through the Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem from January 2025 onward [^copernicus-dataspace].

The satellite carries the C-SAR imaging instrument -- a C-band (5.405 GHz) active phased-array SAR with a 12-metre antenna [^esa-instrument], operating in four modes: Interferometric Wide Swath (IW, 250 km swath, 5 x 20 m resolution), Extra Wide Swath (EW, ~400 km, 20 x 40 m), Stripmap (SM, 80 km, 5 x 5 m), and Wave (WV, 20 x 20 km tiles). Sentinel-1C additionally carries an integrated Automatic Identification System (AIS) receiver with four onboard antennas, a capability absent from Sentinel-1A and Sentinel-1B [^esa-instrument], enabling vessel tracking alongside land and ice SAR imaging.

The C-band SAR time series underpinning global forest disturbance alert systems, maritime surveillance, and deformation monitoring continues uninterrupted with the Sentinel-1C/1D operational pair. All Sentinel-1 data are distributed free and openly under the Copernicus Sentinel Data Legal Notice [^copernicus-terms].

sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Facts_and_figures","title":"Sentinel-1 Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-instrument","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Instrument","title":"Sentinel-1 Instrument page, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-constellation","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Satellite_constellation","title":"Sentinel-1 Satellite Constellation, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"esa-press-release","url":"https://www.esa.int/Newsroom/Press_Releases/Call_for_interest_Copernicus_Sentinel-1C_launch_media_event_at_Europe_s_Spaceport","title":"Sentinel-1C launch media event call, ESA Press Release","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"copernicus-dataspace","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/explore-data/data-collections/sentinel-data/sentinel-1","title":"Sentinel-1 data collections, Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"copernicus-terms","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/terms-and-conditions","title":"Copernicus Data Space terms and conditions","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-s1","url":"https://eoportal.org/web/eoportal/satellite-missions/s/sentinel-1","title":"Sentinel-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 80b4474c-dea2-4600-b014-0d49e74b0ded
slug: sentinel-1d
status: live
name: Sentinel-1D
aliases: ["S1D","Sentinel-1 D"]
operator: esa
actual_launch: "2025-11-04T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 693 km, polar, 18:00 LTDN (constellation design)
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
sources:
[{"id":"esa-facts","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Facts_and_figures","title":"Sentinel-1 Facts and Figures, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-main","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1","title":"Sentinel-1 mission overview and news, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"arianespace-va265","url":"https://www.arianespace.com/mission/flight-va265/","title":"Ariane 6 flight VA265, Sentinel-1D launch, Arianespace","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-instrument","url":"https://www.esa.int/Applications/Observing_the_Earth/Copernicus/Sentinel-1/Instrument","title":"Sentinel-1 Instrument page, ESA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 77aa0242-5b28-4f5f-982a-4210cbe5c361
slug: sentinel-2a
status: live
name: Sentinel-2A
operator: esa
platform: sentinel-2-platform
actual_launch: "2015-06-23T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: SSO 786 km, 10:30 LTDN
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Sentinel-2A is the first satellite of the European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-2 constellation, launched on 23 June 2015 from Kourou, French Guiana aboard a Vega rocket [^eoportal]. The satellite was developed by an industrial consortium of more than 50 companies across 17 European countries and the USA, led by Airbus Defence and Space (formerly EADS-Astrium GmbH) in Friedrichshafen, Germany [^spacenews-ads]. The Multispectral Instrument (MSI) was developed by Airbus Defence and Space in Toulouse, France [^eoportal].

The satellite operates in a sun-synchronous orbit at 786 km altitude with a local time of descending node (LTDN) of 10:30 hours, a 10-day ground track repeat cycle for a single satellite, and achieves a 5-day revisit at the equator when paired with Sentinel-2B [^eoportal]. The MSI payload delivers 13 spectral bands spanning 442.7 to 2202.4 nm (as characterised for Sentinel-2A) at 10 m, 20 m, and 60 m ground sampling distance across a 290 km swath [^nasa-msi].

Sentinel-2A was designed for a 7.25-year operational lifetime, with propellant provisioned for 12 years of operations including deorbit manoeuvres [^eoportal]. Having launched in June 2015, it exceeded its design lifetime in late 2022. In September 2024, Sentinel-2C was launched and, following commissioning, took over the nominal constellation slot previously held by Sentinel-2A on 21 January 2025 [^s2c-handover]. From end of January 2025, Sentinel-2A maneuvered to a new orbital position 36 degrees away from Sentinel-2B; the extended campaign began on 13 March 2025, with Sentinel-2A operating as a third satellite complementing the nominal Sentinel-2B/2C pair [^s2a-campaign-start]. ESA and the European Commission extended this exceptional campaign until 31 December 2026 in a decision announced on 30 April 2026 [^s2a-prolonged].

As of May 2026, Sentinel-2A is in extended operations -- past its 7.25-year design lifetime by approximately 3.5 years -- and in good health. The three-satellite configuration provides observations of Europe every 10 days from each satellite (with Sentinel-2A in its non-standard slot), global coverage every 20 days, and enhanced revisit over tropical regions with persistent cloud cover [^s2a-ext-details].

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/copernicus-sentinel-2","title":"Copernicus Sentinel-2, eoPortal satellite mission profile","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"nasa-msi","url":"https://www.earthdata.nasa.gov/data/instruments/sentinel-2-msi","title":"Sentinel-2 Multispectral Imager, NASA Earthdata instrument page","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"spacenews-ads","url":"https://spacenews.com/esa-selects-airbus-defence-and-space-for-two-new-sentinel-2-satellites/","title":"ESA selects Airbus Defence and Space for two new Sentinel-2 satellites, SpaceNews","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"s2c-handover","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/news/2025-1-8-copernicus-sentinel-2-mission-update-transfer-duty-sentinel-2a-sentinel-2c-21-january","title":"Copernicus Sentinel-2 Mission Update, Transfer of Duty S-2A to S-2C 21 January 2025","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"s2a-campaign-start","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/news/2025-2-28-sentinel-2a-extended-campaign-starting-march-13-2025","title":"Sentinel-2A Extended Campaign Starting March 13, 2025, Copernicus Data Space","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"s2a-prolonged","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/news/2026-5-15-sentinel-2a-extension-campaign-prolonged-until-end-2026","title":"Sentinel-2A Extension Campaign Prolonged Until the End of 2026, Copernicus Data Space","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"s2a-ext-details","url":"https://dataspace.copernicus.eu/news/2025-1-27-sentinel-2a-exceptional-temporary-extension-campaign-starting-march-2025","title":"Sentinel-2A Exceptional Temporary Extension Campaign Starting March 2025, Copernicus Data Space","tier":"operator-press","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"sentiwiki","url":"https://sentiwiki.copernicus.eu/web/s2-mission","title":"S2 Mission, SentiWiki, Copernicus","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]


atlas_id: 0ba6fcd3-faa4-4810-802a-f65e37e9fdb9
slug: terra
status: live
name: Terra
aliases: ["EOS AM-1"]
operator: nasa
actual_launch: "1999-12-18T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: degraded
last_verified_date: "2026-05-18T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: agency-doc
claim_status: agency-verified
body:
Terra (originally designated EOS AM-1) is NASA's flagship Earth Observing System satellite, launched December 18, 1999 aboard an Atlas IIAs rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base [^terra-about]. The spacecraft was built by Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space and carries five instruments designed to study Earth's land, oceans, atmosphere, and energy balance simultaneously [^eoportal-terra].

Terra operates in a sun-synchronous polar orbit; the nominal design orbit of 705 km altitude with a 10:30 AM local time of descending node (LTDN) has drifted over the mission's extended life [^terra-about]. Since October 2022 the satellite has operated at approximately 693 km altitude, and the equatorial crossing had moved to approximately 9:06 AM LTDN as of December 2025. The 16-day ground-track repeat cycle remains intact [^terra-about].

The five instruments represent a division of scientific labour: MODIS provides daily global observations across 36 bands from 0.4 to 14.5 micrometres at resolutions from 250 m to 1 km, underpinning fire detection, vegetation index, snow/ice, and cloud products [^modis-specs]. ASTER delivers high-resolution multispectral imaging at 15 m (VNIR), 30 m (SWIR, non-operational since approximately 2008), and 90 m (TIR) across a 60 km swath [^eoportal-terra]. MISR uses nine cameras at angles from 0 to plus/minus 70.5 degrees in four spectral bands to characterise surface reflectance and atmospheric aerosol properties [^eoportal-terra]. The two CERES scanners measure Earth's reflected solar and emitted thermal radiation across shortwave, longwave, and total-radiation channels to constrain the planet's energy budget [^eoportal-terra]. MOPITT, provided by the Canadian Space Agency, measured tropospheric carbon monoxide and methane for 25 years before being permanently powered down on April 9, 2025 to conserve the satellite's remaining electrical power [^terra-news].

As of May 2026, Terra operates in a degraded state: four of five instruments remain active, orbit has drifted from the original design parameters, and the mission is in its mission-end phase having vastly exceeded its original six-year design lifetime [^terra-news].

orbit_type:
Sun-synchronous, 705 km nominal (drifted to about 693 km since October 2022), 98.5 degree inclination, originally 10:30 AM LTDN now drifted to about 9:06 AM as of December 2025

sources:
[{"id":"terra-about","url":"https://terra.nasa.gov/about","title":"About Terra, NASA","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"terra-news","url":"https://terra.nasa.gov/news","title":"Terra News, NASA (MOPITT decommissioning May 2025, ASTER reactivation)","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"modis-specs","url":"https://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/about/specifications.php","title":"MODIS Technical Specifications, NASA GSFC","tier":"agency-doc","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"eoportal-terra","url":"https://www.eoportal.org/satellite-missions/terra","title":"Terra mission, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"}]

research_notes:
MOPITT permanently decommissioned 2025-04-09. Orbit drifted to approx 693 km / 9:06 AM LTDN as of Dec 2025. ASTER SWIR non-operational since approx 2008.


atlas_id: 5f08e218-ee78-41fb-bc97-d118976e90fe
slug: vireon-1
status: live
name: VIREON-1
aliases: ["VIREON 1"]
operator: aac-clyde-space
platform: aac-epic-view
actual_launch: "2026-03-30T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: SSO 500 km
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"transporter16-satnews","url":"https://satnews.com/2026/03/30/aac-clyde-space-expands-orbital-presence-with-transporter-16-launch/","title":"AAC Clyde Space expands orbital presence with Transporter-16 launch, SatNews","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"vireon-sdaas-page","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/what-we-do/space-data-as-a-service/vireon-earth-observation-data","title":"VIREON Earth Observation Data, AAC Clyde Space","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"vireon-ships-article","url":"https://www.satelliteevolution.com/post/aac-clyde-space-ships-vireon-satellites-for-launch","title":"AAC Clyde Space ships VIREON satellites for launch, Satellite Evolution","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 2598c1cc-ec86-498e-a5f0-2a0946aa6c24
slug: vireon-2
status: live
name: VIREON-2
aliases: ["VIREON 2"]
operator: aac-clyde-space
platform: aac-epic-view
actual_launch: "2026-03-30T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: SSO 500 km
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"transporter16-satnews","url":"https://satnews.com/2026/03/30/aac-clyde-space-expands-orbital-presence-with-transporter-16-launch/","title":"AAC Clyde Space expands orbital presence with Transporter-16 launch, SatNews","tier":"third-party","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"vireon-sdaas-page","url":"https://www.aac-clyde.space/what-we-do/space-data-as-a-service/vireon-earth-observation-data","title":"VIREON Earth Observation Data, AAC Clyde Space","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 65eebd91-78b5-4bee-baf1-9f9cd7e0cef6
slug: worldview-1
status: live
name: WorldView-1
aliases: ["WV-1","WorldView1"]
operator: vantor
actual_launch: "2007-09-18T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 499 km, 97.87 deg inclination, 13:30 LTDN (since June 2016)
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wv1","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-1","title":"WorldView-1, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-wv1","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-1","title":"WorldView-1, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-wv1","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/worldview_1","title":"WorldView-1, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-vantor","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantor_(company)","title":"Vantor (company), Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 59ea2ea6-6afc-465a-937c-69f8ece4d7a9
slug: worldview-2
status: live
name: WorldView-2
aliases: ["WV-2","WorldView2"]
operator: vantor
actual_launch: "2009-10-08T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 770 km, 97.8 deg inclination, 10:30 LTDN
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wv2","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-2","title":"WorldView-2, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-wv2","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-2","title":"WorldView-2, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"esa-eog-wv2","url":"https://earth.esa.int/eogateway/missions/worldview-2","title":"WorldView-2, ESA EO Gateway mission record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-wv2","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/worldview_2","title":"WorldView-2, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-vantor","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantor_(company)","title":"Vantor (company), Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: 143d0445-f291-4546-bffe-79eff75d0c5b
slug: worldview-3
status: live
name: WorldView-3
aliases: ["WV-3","WorldView3"]
operator: vantor
actual_launch: "2014-08-13T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: extended
orbit_type: Sun-synchronous, 617 km, 97.97 deg inclination, 13:30 LTDN, 97-min period
last_verified_date: 2026-05-24
verified_by: community
claim_status: unclaimed
body:
WorldView-3 is a commercial very-high-resolution Earth-imaging satellite operated by Vantor (formerly Maxar Intelligence, formerly DigitalGlobe), launched 13 August 2014 aboard an Atlas V 401 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base into a 617 km sun-synchronous orbit at 13:30 local time descending node.[^eoportal-wv3][^wiki-wv3]

The spacecraft is built on Ball Aerospace's BCP-5000 bus and carries a single integrated imaging system designated the WV-3 Imager (also referred to as the WV110 camera), designed and manufactured by ITT Exelis (now L3Harris Technologies) with a 110 cm aperture telescope.[^eoportal-wv3] The imager combines four focal-plane subsystems: a panchromatic channel at 0.31 m ground sample distance (GSD) covering 450-800 nm; an 8-band VNIR multispectral channel at 1.24 m GSD spanning 397-1039 nm (Coastal Blue through Near-IR 2); an 8-band shortwave-infrared (SWIR) channel at 3.70 m GSD covering approximately 1195-2365 nm; and a 12-band CAVIS (Clouds, Aerosols, Vapors, Ice, and Snow) atmospheric correction instrument at 30 m GSD, built by Ball Aerospace with independent optics and focal plane.[^eoportal-wv3][^satimaging-wv3] Total band count across all subsystems is 29.

The swath width is 13.1 km at nadir, with a daily collection capacity of up to 680,000 km2.[^satimaging-wv3] Data quantization is 11 bits per pixel for panchromatic and VNIR channels, and 14 bits per pixel for SWIR.[^satimaging-wv3] Geolocation accuracy without ground control is better than 3.5 m CE90.[^satimaging-wv3]

WorldView-3 was designed for a 7.25-year mission, with an estimated service life of 10-12 years.[^eoportal-wv3] As of 2026-05-24 the satellite remains operational in extended mission, having exceeded its design life by more than two years.

sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wv3","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-3","title":"WorldView-3, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"wiki-wv3","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-3","title":"WorldView-3, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"satimaging-wv3","url":"https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/worldview-3/","title":"WorldView-3 Satellite Sensor, Satellite Imaging Corp","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"wmo-oscar","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/worldview_3","title":"WMO OSCAR, WorldView-3 satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-24"},{"id":"kruse-2015","url":"https://doi.org/10.1080/07038992.2016.1176620","title":"WorldView-3 Short-Wave Infrared Imagery, Canadian Journal of Remote Sensing","tier":"peer-reviewed","accessed":"2026-05-19"}]


atlas_id: 9c16d68c-e96b-41f6-b385-4f2980f3892f
slug: worldview-legion
status: live
name: WorldView Legion
aliases: ["WV Legion","WorldView Legion constellation","Legion 1-6"]
operator: vantor
actual_launch: "2024-05-02T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: Mid-inclination, approximately 450 km, 93-min period (orbital-mechanics consistent)
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: sw
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"eoportal-wvl","url":"https://eoportal.org/satellite-missions/worldview-legion","title":"WorldView Legion, eoPortal Directory","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-wvlegion","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView_Legion","title":"WorldView Legion, Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"satimaging-wvl","url":"https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/worldview-legion/","title":"WorldView Legion, Satellite Imaging Corporation","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wmo-oscar-wvl1","url":"https://space.oscar.wmo.int/satellites/view/worldview_legion_1","title":"WorldView Legion-1, WMO OSCAR satellite record","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"wiki-vantor","url":"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vantor_(company)","title":"Vantor (company), Wikipedia","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: b4b9bf9f-063c-4ae5-936d-3385adea6fd1
slug: yam-3
status: live
name: YAM-3
aliases: ["Yet Another Mission 3"]
operator: loft-orbital
platform: longbow-bus
actual_launch: "2021-06-30T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: LEO, Falcon 9 Transporter-2 rideshare
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: community
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"skyrocket-yam3","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/yam-3.htm","title":"YAM-3, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


atlas_id: aee26cf1-a157-4bb0-b2dd-a8dc9752cec3
slug: yam-5
status: live
name: YAM-5
aliases: ["Yet Another Mission 5"]
operator: loft-orbital
platform: longbow-bus
actual_launch: "2023-01-03T00:00:00.000Z"
current_status: operational
orbit_type: LEO, Falcon 9 Transporter-6 rideshare
last_verified_date: "2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"
verified_by: community
claim_status: unclaimed
sources:
[{"id":"skyrocket-yam3","url":"https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/yam-3.htm","title":"YAM-3/5/6 launch manifest, Gunter's Space Page","tier":"community","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"},{"id":"loft-home","url":"https://www.loftorbital.com","title":"Loft Orbital, home","tier":"operator-marketing","accessed":"2026-05-19T00:00:00.000Z"}]


