Introduction
Satellite imagery has become an essential tool in many industries, including but not limited to Agriculture, Forestry, Urban Planning, and Defense. Two of the most advanced commercial satellites currently in orbit are WorldView-4 and GeoEye-1. In this post, we will provide an unbiased comparison of their imaging capabilities.
WorldView-4
WorldView-4 is an Earth observation satellite launched by DigitalGlobe (currently Maxar Technologies) on September 16, 2016. This satellite is capable of capturing high-resolution images in both panchromatic and multispectral modes.
The WorldView-4's panchromatic mode can capture images with a resolution of 30 cm from an altitude of 617 km. In comparison, the multispectral mode can capture images with a resolution of 1.24 m, but with four spectral bands, including blue, green, red, and near-infrared.
GeoEye-1
GeoEye-1 is another commercial satellite launched on September 6, 2008, and operated by Maxar Technologies. This satellite is also capable of capturing high-resolution images in both panchromatic and multispectral modes.
The GeoEye-1's panchromatic mode can capture images with a resolution of 41 cm from an altitude of 681 km. The multispectral mode can capture images with a resolution of 1.65 m, but with four spectral bands, including blue, green, red, and near-infrared.
Comparison
| Features | WorldView-4 | GeoEye-1 |
|---|---|---|
| Launch Date | September 16, 2016 | September 6, 2008 |
| Altitude | 617 km | 681 km |
| Pan Resolution | 30 cm | 41 cm |
| Multispectral Resolution | 1.24 m | 1.65 m |
| Spectral Bands | Blue, Green, Red, Near-Infrared | Blue, Green, Red, Near-Infrared |
As we can see from the table, WorldView-4 has a better panchromatic resolution than GeoEye-1. On the other hand, GeoEye-1 has a higher spectral resolution than WorldView-4. However, both satellites provide almost the same spectral bands.
Conclusion
WorldView-4 and GeoEye-1 are two of the most advanced commercial satellites with different technical specifications. WorldView-4 has a better panchromatic resolution, while GeoEye-1 has better multispectral resolution. Which satellite to use depends on the application and the user's requirements.