DigitalGlobe#EarlyBird-1

WorldView Imaging Corporation was founded in January 1992 in Oakland, California in anticipation of the 1992 Land Remote Sensing Policy Act (enacted in October 1992) which permitted private companies to enter the satellite imaging business.{{cite web|last=Duman|first=Angie|url=http://www.eomonline.com/Common/Archives/1995oct/95oct_tripp.html|title=xyHt | Positioning and Measurement, Elevated|website=eomonline.com|access-date=2016-02-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081013192646/http://www.eomonline.com/Common/Archives/1995oct/95oct_tripp.html |archive-date=2008-10-13}} Its founder was Dr Walter Scott, who was joined by co-founder and CEO Doug Gerull in late 1992. In 1993, the company received the first high resolution commercial remote sensing satellite license issued under the 1992 Act.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalglobe.com/about-us/company#history|title=Our Company|publisher=DigitalGlobe |date=2014-08-21|access-date=2016-02-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140805032626/https://www.digitalglobe.com/about-us/company#history|archive-date=2014-08-05|url-status=dead}} The company was initially funded with private financing from Silicon Valley sources and interested corporations in North America, Europe and Japan. Dr. Scott was head of the Lawrence Livermore Laboratories "Brilliant Pebbles" and "Brilliant Eyes" projects which were part of the Strategic Defense Initiative. Doug Gerull was the executive in charge of the Mapping Sciences division at the Intergraph Corporation.{{cite news|last=Markoff|first=John|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4D71638F931A25751C0A965958260|title=Company News – A Plan for Close-Up Images of Earth From Space |newspaper=The New York Times|date=1993-02-12|access-date=2016-02-25}} The company's first remote sensing license from the United States Department of Commerce allowed it to build a commercial remote sensing satellite capable of collecting images with {{cvt|3|m}} resolution.

In 1995, the company became EarthWatch Incorporated, merging WorldView with Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp.'s commercial remote sensing operations.{{cite web |url=http://www.digitalglobe.com/about/history.shtml|title=DigitalGlobe – History|access-date=2006-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060413043028/http://digitalglobe.com/about/history.shtml |archive-date=2006-04-13|url-status=dead}}

In September 2001, EarthWatch became DigitalGlobe.{{cite web|url=http://www.asd.ssc.nasa.gov/datapurchase/default.aspx?s=6&ss=2|publisher=NASA|title=Scientific Data Purchase|access-date=2006-04-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060929025643/http://www.asd.ssc.nasa.gov/datapurchase/default.aspx?s=6&ss=2|archive-date=2006-09-29|url-status=dead}} {{PD-notice}}

In 2007, DigitalGlobe acquired online imagery provider GlobeXplorer to extend its imagery distribution capabilities via online APIs and web services.{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/digitalglobe-buys-web-based-imagery-firm/|title=DigitalGlobe Buys Web Based Imagery Firm|date=29 June 2004|newspaper=SpaceNews|access-date=2007-01-11|author1=Spacenews }}

In 2011, DigitalGlobe was inducted into the Space Foundation's Space Technology Hall of Fame for its role in advancing commercial Earth-imaging satellites.{{cite web |url=http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=1086|title=Story|publisher=Space Foundation|access-date=2016-02-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004121908/http://www.spacefoundation.org/news/story.php?id=1086|archive-date=2011-10-04}}

In 2013, DigitalGlobe purchased GeoEye.{{cite news|title=DigitalGlobe Agrees to Acquire GeoEye for About US$900 Million|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-07-23/digitalglobe-agrees-to-acquire-geoeye-for-900-million|url-status=live|access-date=2021-06-09|website=bloomberg.com|date=23 July 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414085141/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2012-07-23/digitalglobe-agrees-to-acquire-geoeye-for-900-million |archive-date=14 April 2016 }}{{cite web|url=https://www.geospatialworld.net/news/digitalglobe-completes-acquisition-of-geoeye/|title=DigitalGlobe completes acquisition of GeoEye|publisher=Geospatial World|date=2013-02-01|access-date=2021-06-09}}

In February 2017, MacDonald, Dettwiler and Associates (MDA) and DigitalGlobe reached an agreement for MDA to acquire DigitalGlobe for US$2.4 billion.{{cite web |url=http://spacenews.com/mda-to-acquire-digitalglobe/|title=MDA to acquire DigitalGlobe|publisher=SpaceNews|date=24 February 2017}} As of May 2017, DigitalGlobe's image catalog contains 100 petabytes worth of data, and grows by 100 terabytes each day.{{cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/2017/05/best-way-transmit-satellite-data-trucks-really/|title=The Best Way to Transmit Satellite Data? In Trucks. Really|last=Scoles|first=Sarah|magazine=Wired|date=May 17, 2017|access-date=August 31, 2017}} As of 5 October 2017, MDA has announced it has completed its acquisition of DigitalGlobe. On 5 October 2017, DigitalGlobe and MDA Holdings Company merged to become Maxar Technologies{{cite web|url=https://www.geospatialworld.net/news/mda-dg-combined-entity-to-be-rebranded-as-maxar-technologies/|title=MDA-DG combined entity to be rebranded as Maxar Technologies|publisher=Geospatial World|date=2017-10-05|access-date=2020-11-03}}

On 30 December 2019, the company announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to sell MDA to a consortium of financial sponsors led by Northern Private Capital for CAD$1 billion (US$765 million). The sale included all of MDA's Canadian businesses, encompassing ground stations, radar satellite products, robotics, defense, and satellite components, representing approximately 1,900 employees.{{cite web|url=http://parabolicarc.com/2019/12/30/maxar-to-sell-mda-for-765-million/|title=Maxar to Sell MDA for US$765 Million|date=30 December 2019 |access-date=2020-11-03}}

On 8 April 2020, the sale of the MDA assets to NPC officially closed. The newly formed privately held Canadian company was named MDA.{{cite web|title=Iconic Space Technology Firm Returns to Canadian Control as Sale of MDA to Northern Private Capital Closes|url=https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/iconic-space-technology-firm-returns-to-canadian-control-as-sale-of-mda-to-northern-private-capital-closes-825676127.html|website=newswire.ca|access-date=2020-11-03}}{{cite web|title=MDA|url=https://mda.space/|publisher=MDA|access-date=2020-11-03}}

EarlyBird-1 (COSPAR 1997-085A) commercial Earth imaging satellite was built for EarthWatch Inc. by CTA Space Systems (later part of Orbital Sciences Corporation) and launched on 24 December 1997, from the Svobodny Cosmodrome by a Start-1 launch vehicle.{{cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1997-085A|title=EarlyBird-1|publisher=NASA|access-date=February 25, 2016}} {{PD-notice}} It had a mass of {{cvt|317|kg}} and a design life of 3 years (fuel reserves for 5 years). It included a panchromatic (black-and-white) camera with a {{cvt|3|m}} resolution and a multispectral (color) camera with a {{cvt|15|m}} resolution. The imaging sensor was derived from a 1998-cancelled NASA satellite called Clark (SSTI 2).{{cite web|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/clark.htm|title=Clark (SSTI 2)}} EarlyBird-1 was the first commercial satellite to be launched from the Svobodny Cosmodrome. Although the launch was successful, the satellite lost communications after only four days in orbit due to power system failure.{{cite web|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/earlybird.htm|title=EarlyBird-1}}

{{Main article|IKONOS}}

IKONOS was launched 24 September 1999. It was the world's first high-resolution commercial imaging satellite to collect panchromatic (black-and-white) images with {{cvt|0.8|m}} resolution and multispectral (color) imagery with {{cvt|3.2|m}} resolution.{{cite web|url=https://dg-cms-uploads-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/96/DG_IKONOS_DS.pdf|title=IKONOS Data Sheet|access-date=February 25, 2016|website=Dg-cms-uploads.production.s3.amazonaws.com}} On 31 March 2015, IKONOS was officially decommissioned after more than doubling her mission design life, spending 5,680 days in orbit and making 83,131 trips around the Earth.{{cite web|url=http://blog.tomnod.com/ikonos-quickbird-2/|title=DigitalGlobe satellites IKONOS and QuickBird-2 retire after years of service|access-date=February 25, 2016|website=blog.tomnod.com|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304064739/http://blog.tomnod.com/ikonos-quickbird-2/|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

{{Main article|QuickBird}}

QuickBird, launched on 18 October 2001, was DigitalGlobe's primary satellite until early 2015. It was built by Ball Aerospace, and launched by a Boeing Delta II. It is in a {{cvt|450|km}} altitude, 98° inclination Sun-synchronous orbit. An earlier launch attempt resulted in the loss of QuickBird-1; after this, the second satellite of the series, QuickBird-2 was launched and it is this satellite that became known simply as QuickBird (as no other QuickBird satellites were launched). It included a panchromatic camera with a {{cvt|60|cm}} resolution and a multispectral camera with a {{cvt|2.4|m}} resolution. On 27 January 2015, QuickBird was de-orbited, exceeding her initial life expectancy by nearly 300%.

{{Main article|GeoEye-1}}

The GeoEye-1 satellite collects images at {{cvt|0.41|m}} panchromatic (black-and-white) and {{cvt|1.65|m}} multispectral resolution. The satellite can collect up to {{cvt|350000|km2}} of multispectral imagery per day. This is used for large-scale mapping projects. GeoEye-1 can revisit any point on Earth once every three days or sooner.

{{Main article|WorldView-1}}

Ball Aerospace built WorldView-1.{{cite web|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n0701/07worldview2/|title=DigitalGlobe announces Ball building WorldView-2 satellite|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=February 2, 2007}} It was launched on 18 September 2007 from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a Delta II 7920-10C. Launch services were provided by United Launch Alliance (ULA). The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) is expected to be a major customer of WorldView-1 imagery.{{cite web |url=http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/09/a_satellites_fi.html|title=A Satellite's First Breath|publisher=O'Reilly Media|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070922113715/http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2007/09/a_satellites_fi.html|archive-date=2007-09-22}} It included a panchromatic only camera with a {{cvt|50|cm}} maximum resolution.

{{Main article|WorldView-2}}

Ball Aerospace built WorldView-2. It was launched on 8 October 2009. DigitalGlobe partnered with Boeing commercial launch services to deliver WorldView-2 into a Sun-synchronous orbit.{{cite web |url=http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2004/q1/nr_040330s.html|publisher=Boeing|title=Boeing Selected to Co-Develop and Launch Next DigitalGlobe Imaging Satellite|year=2004|access-date=April 19, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318211142/http://www.boeing.com/news/releases/2004/q1/nr_040330s.html|archive-date=March 18, 2006}}{{cite web |url=http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=18942.0;attach=174547|title=Delta II Worldview-2 mission booklet|publisher=NASASpaceFlight.com|access-date=February 25, 2016}} The satellite includes a panchromatic sensor with a {{cvt|46|cm}} maximum resolution and a multispectral sensor of {{cvt|184|cm}}{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalglobe.com/index.php/88/WorldView-2 |title=Features and Benefits for WorldView-2|access-date=September 8, 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008102814/http://www.digitalglobe.com/index.php/88/WorldView-2|archive-date=October 8, 2008}}

{{Main article|WorldView-3}}

Ball Aerospace built WorldView-3. It was launched on 13 August 2014. It has a maximum resolution of {{cvt|25|cm}}. WorldView-3 operates at an altitude of {{cvt|617|km}}, where it has an average revisit time of less than once per day. Over the course of a day it is able to collect imagery of up to {{cvt|680000|km2}}.{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalglobe.com/sites/default/files/DG_WorldView3_DS_2014.pdf |title=WorldView-3 Data Sheet|publisher=DigitalGlobe|access-date=February 25, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140804145946/https://www.digitalglobe.com/sites/default/files/DG_WorldView3_DS_2014.pdf|archive-date=August 4, 2014}}

Previously, DigitalGlobe was only licensed to sell images with a higher resolution than {{cvt|50|cm}} to the U.S. military.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20140211-inside-the-google-earth-sat-lab|title=Future – Inside the Google Earth satellite factory|last=Hollingham|first=Richard|publisher=BBC|date=February 11, 2014|access-date=February 25, 2016}} However, DigitalGlobe obtained permission, in June 2014, from the United States Department of Commerce, to allow the company to more widely exploit its commercial satellite imagery. The company was permitted to offer customers the highest resolution imagery available from their constellation. Additionally, the updated approvals allowed the sale of imagery to customers at up to {{cvt|25|cm}} panchromatic and {{cvt|100|cm}} multispectral ground sample distance (GSD), beginning six months after WorldView-3 became operational. WorldView-3 was launched aboard a United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle in the 401 configuration on 13 August 2014, at 18:30 UTC from Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3 (SLC-3E) at Vandenberg Air Force base.{{cite web|url=http://media.digitalglobe.com/press-releases/u-s-department-of-commerce-relaxes-resolution-restrictions-digitalglobe-extends--nyse-dgi-1122861|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714215709/http://media.digitalglobe.com/press-releases/u-s-department-of-commerce-relaxes-resolution-restrictions-digitalglobe-extends--nyse-dgi-1122861|archive-date=July 14, 2014|title=U.S. Department of Commerce Relaxes Resolution Restrictions DigitalGlobe Extends Lead in Image Quality|access-date=June 29, 2014}}

WorldView-3 is the industry's first multi-payload, super-spectral, high-resolution commercial satellite.{{cite web|url=https://dg-cms-uploads-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/95/DG_WorldView3_DS_forWeb_0.pdf|title=WorldView-3 Data Sheet|access-date=February 25, 2016|website=Dg-cms-uploads.production.s3.amazonaws.com|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304054212/https://dg-cms-uploads-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/95/DG_WorldView3_DS_forWeb_0.pdf|archive-date=March 4, 2016}}

{{Main article|WorldView-4}}

The WorldView-4 satellite was designed to provide panchromatic images at a highest resolution of {{cvt|31|cm}}, and multispectral images at {{cvt|124|cm}}.{{cite web|url=https://dg-cms-uploads-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/196/DG_WorldView4_DS_11-15_Web.pdf|title=WorldView-4|publisher=DigitalGlobe|date=November 2015|access-date=March 19, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160424030451/https://dg-cms-uploads-production.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/document/file/196/DG_WorldView4_DS_11-15_Web.pdf|archive-date=April 24, 2016}} Originally named GeoEye-2, the spacecraft was designed and built by Lockheed Martin,{{cite news|url=http://spacenews.com/lockheed-martin-selected-build-geoeye-2-imaging-satellite/|title=Lockheed Martin Selected To Build GeoEye-2 Imaging Satellite|publisher=SpaceNews|first=Warren|last=Ferster|date=March 11, 2010|access-date=April 2, 2016}} while the camera payload was provided by ITT Corporation.{{cite press release|url=http://www.exelisinc.com/news/pressreleases/Pages/ITT-Exelis-delivers-imaging-system-for-next-generation,-high-resolution.aspx|title=ITT Exelis delivers imaging system for next-generation, high-resolution GeoEye-2 satellite|publisher=ITT Exelis|first=Irene|last=Lockwood|date=April 10, 2012|access-date=April 2, 2016|archive-date=29 May 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160529155736/http://www.exelisinc.com/News/PressReleases/Pages/ITT-Exelis-delivers-imaging-system-for-next-generation,-high-resolution.aspx|url-status=dead}}

Following the merger of GeoEye and DigitalGlobe, in 2013, DigitalGlobe announced that GeoEye-2 would be completed as a ground spare to be launched if or when required.{{cite press release|url=http://media.digitalglobe.com/press-releases/digitalglobe-s-worldview-3-satellite-continues-on--nyse-dgi-981644|title=DigitalGlobe's WorldView-3 Satellite Continues on Track for Mid-2014 Launch |publisher=DigitalGlobe|date=February 4, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213162909/http://media.digitalglobe.com/press-releases/digitalglobe-s-worldview-3-satellite-continues-on--nyse-dgi-981644|archive-date=February 13, 2013}}{{cite news|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1302/04geoeye2/|title=One commercial Earth-imager deferred in favor of another |publisher=Spaceflight Now|first=Justin|last=Ray|date=February 4, 2013|access-date=March 19, 2016}} It was renamed to WorldView-4 in July 2014, when the company announced that it would be launched in Fall 2016.{{cite press release|url=http://investor.digitalglobe.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70788&p=irol-newsArticle&id=1953904|title=DigitalGlobe Announces Second 30-Centimeter Satellite to Launch in Mid-2016|publisher=DigitalGlobe|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=April 2, 2016|archive-url=https://archive.today/20161020143101/http://investor.digitalglobe.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=70788&p=irol-newsArticle&id=1953904|archive-date=October 20, 2016|url-status=dead}}{{cite news|url=http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_26254127/demand-moves-digitalglobe-speed-launch-high-powered-satellite|title=Demand moves DigitalGlobe to speed launch of high-powered satellite|newspaper=The Denver Post|first=Kristen Leigh|last=Painter|date=July 31, 2014|access-date=April 2, 2016}} It was launched on 11 November 2016.

In January 2019, the company reported the failure of a control moment gyroscope on the satellite, rendering it inoperable.{{cite news|url=http://investor.maxar.com/investor-news/press-release-details/2019/Maxar-Technologies-Reports-Failure-of-its-WorldView-4-Imaging-Satellite/default.aspx|title=Maxar Technologies Reports Failure of its WorldView-4 Imaging Satellite|publisher=Maxar|date=January 7, 2019}}

{{Main article|WorldView Legion}}

Currently being built by Maxar Technologies, WorldView Legion is Maxar's next generation of Earth observation satellites. WorldView Legion comprises six satellites planned to launch between 2024 and 2026{{cite web |url=https://s22.q4cdn.com/683266634/files/doc_financials/2022/q3/Maxar-3Q22-Earnings-Call-Deck.pdf |title=Third Quarter 2022 Earnings Call |pages=4–5 |work=Maxar Technologies |date=3 November 2022 |access-date=3 November 2022}} into a mix of Sun-synchronous and mid-latitude orbits.{{cite web|last=Sheetz|first=Michael|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/05/maxar-stock-drops-after-delaying-launch-of-worldview-legion-satellites.html|title=Space company Maxar stock drops after delaying launch of next-generation satellites|publisher=CNBC|date=August 5, 2021|access-date=August 5, 2021}}{{cite web|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/worldview-legion.htm|title=WorldView-Legion 1, ..., 6|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=6 August 2021|access-date=8 October 2021}} These satellites will replace imaging capability currently provided by Maxar's WorldView-1, WorldView-2 and GeoEye-1 Earth observation satellites.{{cite web|last=Clark |first=Stephen|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/03/28/digitalglobe-books-two-launches-with-spacex-for-earth-imaging-fleet/|title=DigitalGlobe books two launches with SpaceX for Earth-imaging fleet |publisher=Spaceflight Now|date=March 28, 2018|access-date=April 12, 2018}}

The six WorldView Legion satellites are contracted to launch on three flight-proven SpaceX Falcon 9 launch vehicles.{{cite web |last=Avery |first=Greg |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/m/fdbb391d-31a3-3a97-8e51-ad41c56f26fa/westminster-based-maxar-s.html |url-status=dead |title=Westminster-based Maxar's satellite launches shift to later in 2022 |work=Yahoo Finance |date=23 February 2022 |access-date=25 February 2022

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225194530/https://finance.yahoo.com/m/fdbb391d-31a3-3a97-8e51-ad41c56f26fa/westminster-based-maxar-s.html |archive-date=25 February 2022

}}

DigitalGlobe's customers range from urban planners, to conservation organizations like the Amazon Conservation Team,{{cite web|url=http://www.amazonteam.org/act-presented-with-seeing-better-world-award |title=Amazon Conservation Team Presented with the Seeing a Better World Award|date=August 8, 2015}} to the U.S. federal agencies, including NASA and the United States Department of Defense's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA).{{cite web|url=http://www.gisdevelopment.net/news/viewn.asp?id=GIS:N_rnwomzfjis|title=National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency Awards US$12 Million ClearView Contract to DigitalGlobe|date=March 16, 2006}} Much of Google Earth and Google Maps high resolution-imagery is provided by DigitalGlobe.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/12/20/technology/20image.html?ex=1292734800&en=91529f7772801391&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss|title=Governments Tremble at Google's Bird's-Eye View|newspaper=The New York Times|author1=Hafner, Katie |author2=Saritha Rai |date=December 20, 2005}}

DigitalGlobe's main competitor is Airbus with Spot and Pleiades satellites.{{Cite web|last=Effigis|title=Main Commercial Earth Observation Satellites Distributor|url=https://effigis.com/en/solutions/satellite-images/main-commercial-satellites/|access-date=2021-12-20|website=Effigis|language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

• Photogrammetry
• Remote sensing
• Satellite Sentinel Project
• Tomnod, a DigitalGlobe project that uses crowdsourcing to identify objects and places in satellite images.

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|http://www.digitalglobe.com/}}

{{DigitalGlobe|state=autocollapse}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:Companies formerly listed on the New York Stock Exchange

Category:Companies based in Boulder County, Colorado

Category:Technology companies established in 1992

Category:1992 establishments in California

Category:2009 initial public offerings

Category:2017 mergers and acquisitions

Category:Westminster, Colorado

Category:Companies based in Jefferson County, Colorado

Category:Remote sensing companies