missions

Pixxel Honeybee Zero (HB0)

Compiled from public sources on 2026-05-24. Not independently verified by Pixxel.

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Pixxel Honeybee Zero (HB0) is a VSWIR hyperspectral technology demonstrator operated by Pixxel, planned for launch in 2026. HB0 serves as the precursor mission to the Pixxel Honeybee Phase 1 constellation, designed to validate the Honeybee sensor architecture including SWIR coverage not present on the earlier Firefly series.

HB0 carries Pixxel's Honeybee VSWIR hyperspectral imager. The operator engineering documentation reports a spectral range of 400-2500 nm;^[1] a support article cites 400-2550 nm and eoPortal states 470-2500 nm.^[2] Approximately 450 spectral bands are specified. Spatial resolution is 8 m with a 5 km swath, a narrower swath than the 40 km VNIR Firefly imager, reflecting the VSWIR architecture trade-off. The planned orbit is Sun-synchronous at 500-550 km altitude, 97.45 degree inclination, with a 10:00-11:00 local solar time equatorial crossing. Off-nadir capability is stated at up to 30 degrees (20 degrees recommended for optimal quality).^[1] Single-satellite revisit is estimated at 14-21 days.

Planned launch was originally stated as Q1 2026 in the Pixxel documentation portal; according to community aggregators as of 2026-05-24, the schedule has shifted to Q2-Q3 2026.^[2] No launch has been announced as of the research date. The satellite bus and launch vehicle have not been publicly disclosed. HB0 is distinct from the Firefly series: it adds SWIR imaging (1000-2500 nm) and carries a separate sensor design at larger ground sampling distance.

Supply chain position

carries instrument Pixxel Honeybee Zero hyperspectral imager

operated by Pixxel

Sources

[1]Tech Demonstrators overview, Pixxel Documentation Portaloperator engineering2026-05-24
[2]Pixxel Hyperspectral Imaging Constellation, eoPortalcommunity2026-05-24

Cite https://eo-atlas.org/missions/pixxel-honeybee-hb0 Markdown twin → Field definitions → Suggest a correction →

How to cite this page

Plain text

Pixxel Honeybee Zero (HB0). EO-Atlas, SpectraWorks B.V., last reviewed 2026-05-24. https://eo-atlas.org/missions/pixxel-honeybee-hb0 (CC BY 4.0)

BibTeX

@misc{eoatlas:missions:pixxel-honeybee-hb0,
  title = {Pixxel Honeybee Zero (HB0)},
  author = {{EO-Atlas}},
  publisher = {SpectraWorks B.V.},
  year = {2026},
  note = {Last reviewed 2026-05-24. CC BY 4.0},
  url = {https://eo-atlas.org/missions/pixxel-honeybee-hb0}
}