BackForward Satellite Programme: GeoEye 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of satellites for high-resolution land observation.
  • Commercially-based programme, initiated in 1994 by Space Imaging Inc. that was bought by ORBIMAGE in September 2005, that was finally re-named GeoEye since 12 January 2006.  After Ikonos, OrbView-3 and OrbView-4 (failed at launch), OrbView-5, launched after the creation of GeoEye, was re-named GeoEye-1.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 7 years.
  • The satellites exploit a sunsynchronous orbit around 10:30.
  • The replacement policy is to launch satellites at roughly 5-year intervals.
  • For details on the GeoEye company see http://www.geoeye.com/CorpSite.
Data circulation
  • Data are stored onboard and downlinked to stations in Dulles (Virginia), Barrow (Alaska), Tromsø (Norway) and Troll (Antarctica).  In addition, there is a network of receiving stations owned and operated by local business partners, referred to as Regional Affiliates and Regional Distributors.
  • Data distribution is implemented by GeoEye through a number of cooperating entities.
Agencies GeoEye
Programme lifetime 1999 - 2018
Associated satellites and instruments

Note: red tag => no longer operational , green tag => operational , blue tag => planned