BackForward Satellite Programme: Sky Satellite 

Programme details
Programme description
  • Series of 21 satellites for high-resolution land observation.  The first two, experimental, have been named SkySat 1 and 2.  Further operational units are named SkySat-C
  • Commercially-based programme, initiated in 2013 by Skybox Imaging Inc., Mountain View, California., USA.  In April 2017 Planet Labs Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA took over the programme.
  • The platforms are actively stabilised over 3 axes.
  • The design life time is 5 years.
  • The satellites exploit a sunsynchronous orbit around 10:30.
  • The replacement policy is based on launches to implement a constellation.  
  • More information https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planet_Labs
Data circulation
  • Direct access to the SkySat constellation is possible through a SkyNode terminal provided by Skybox.
  • Archived data since 2014, processed and distributed by Planet Labs Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA.
Agencies Planet
Programme lifetime 2013 - 2025
Associated satellites and instruments

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