Lockheed Martin [LMT] said Thursday its commercial launch division will provide launch services for DigitalGlobe
[DGI] as it sends the first super-spectral, high-resolution commercial satellite for earth observation to space on Aug. 13.
DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-3 satellite will be carried aboard an Atlas V rocket. The launch had been previously set for August, but no provider had been mentioned. The launch is scheduled for 11:29 a.m. Pacific Daylight at Vandenberg AFB, Calif.
WorldView-3 will be able to gather 680,000 square kilometers of imagery per day, which DigitalGlobe will provide to commercial customers. The satellite is capable of 31 cm resolution panchromatic–a much greater resolution than commercial firms are currently allowed to sell. Domestic imagers are prohibited from selling imagery with resolution better than 50 cm in panchromatic. (Defense Daily, April 15)
After lobbying from private firms, Director of National Intelligence (DNI) James Clapper said in April that he was recommending that the White House ease restrictions on commercial satellite imagery. DigitalGlobe Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Walter Scott previously told Defense Daily the changes would help the company better match foreign competitors.
DigitalGlobe President and Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Tarr said reduced restrictions may even allow the company to launch another satellite with greater resolution than WorldView-3 sooner than anticipated.
“We’re making good progress marketing the new capacity on WorldView-3, and with resolution restriction relief, this customer group in particular may generate enough incremental demand to justify an early launch of GeoEye-2,” Tarr said on the company’s most recent earnings call in May.
DigitalGlobe acquired the GeoEye after a merger in 2013. Chief Financial Officer Yancey Spruill, who helped bring the merger to fruition, will retire this year, Tarr said.