Planet Labs#Flock

File:Planet Labs satellite launch from ISS.jpg via the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer (2014)]]

Planet Labs was founded in 2010 as Cosmogia by former NASA scientists Chris Boshuizen, Will Marshall, and Robbie Schingler, who teamed up with John Kuolt in 2011 during his studies at Oxford University with a thesis to leverage the processing power of mobile phones to power the avionics of a nano-satellite. Mr. Kuolt's EP (Entrepreneurial Project) at Oxford University became the original business plan for Planet.Brewster, Signe. [https://web.archive.org/web/20130804214731/http://gigaom.com/2013/08/02/at-planet-labs-the-space-industry-is-back/ "With plans to launch 28 satellites next year, at Planet Labs, the space industry is back"], gigaom.com, 2 August 2013. Retrieved on 18 September 2013.Graham, William. [http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/11/russian-dnepr-record-breaking-32-satellite-haul/ "Russian Dnepr conducts record breaking 32 satellite haul"], nasaspaceflight.com, 21 November 2013. Retrieved on 26 November 2013.Solon, Olivia. [https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-08/13/planet-labs-nanosatellites "In pictures: Planet Labs' nanosatellites"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304224114/https://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-08/13/planet-labs-nanosatellites |date=2016-03-04 }}, Wired, 13 August 2013. Retrieved on 26 November 2013. The initial goal of the company was to make use of information gathered from space to help with life on Earth. The group of scientists considered the problem with most satellites to be their large and clunky form, prompting them to build inexpensive and compact satellites to be manufactured in bulk, called CubeSats. The small group began building Planet's first satellite in a California garage.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/company/|title=History of Planet|access-date=2019-03-07}}

Planet Labs launched two demonstration CubeSats, Dove 1 and Dove 2, in April 2013.Wall, Mike. [http://www.space.com/22622-planet-labs-dove-satellite-photos.html "Planet Labs Unveils Tiny Earth-Observation Satellite Family"], space.com, 31 August 2013. Retrieved on 18 September 2013. Both Dove 1 (aboard Antares 110 rocket) and Dove 2 (aboard a Soyuz Rocket) were placed in a Sun-synchronous orbit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/company/|title=History of Planet|website=Planet|access-date=2019-03-07}} Dove 3 and Dove 4 were launched in November 2013.

In June 2013, it announced plans for Flock-1, a constellation of 28 Earth-observing satellites.

The Flock-1 CubeSats were brought to the International Space Station in January 2014Wall, Mike. [http://www.space.com/24546-cubesat-record-space-station-launch.html "Record-Breaking 33 'Cubesats' to Launch from Space Station This Month"], space.com, 4 February 2014. Retrieved on 6 February 2014. and deployed via the NanoRacks CubeSat Deployer in mid-February.Klotz, Irene. [http://news.discovery.com/space/private-spaceflight/tiny-satellites-launched-from-iss-cubesat-cannon-photos-140218.htm "Satellite 'Flock' Launched From ISS Cubesat Cannon: Photos"], discovery.com, 18 February 2014, Retrieved on 25 April 2014. The company planned to launch a total of 131 satellites by mid-2015.Taylor, Richard. [https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27408318 "Mini-satellites send high-definition views of Earth"], BBC, 15 May 2014. Retrieved on 16 May 2014.

In January 2015, the firm raised $95 million in funding.{{cite news |url= http://newsdaily.com/2015/01/spacex-raises-1-billion-in-funding-from-google-fidelity/ |title= SpaceX raises $1 billion in funding from Google, Fidelity |agency= Reuters |date= 20 January 2015 |publisher=NewsDaily |url-status= dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150121094554/http://newsdaily.com/2015/01/spacex-raises-1-billion-in-funding-from-google-fidelity/ |archive-date= 21 January 2015 }} As of May 2015, Planet Labs raised a total amount of $183 million in venture capital financing.{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2015/04/13/planet-labs-rockets-to-118-million-in-series-c-funding-to-cover-the-earth-in-tiny-satellites/#.vcnpf4:S6AF|title=Planet Labs Rockets To $118 Million In Series C Funding To Cover The Earth In Tiny Satellites|author=Sarah Buhr|publisher=AOL|work=TechCrunch}}

In July 2015, Planet Labs acquired BlackBridge and its RapidEye constellation.

{{cite news |last1=Foust|first1=Jeff |title=Planet Labs Buying BlackBridge and its RapidEye Constellation |url=http://spacenews.com/planet-labs-buying-blackbridge-and-its-rapideye-constellation/ |access-date=16 July 2015 |work=Space News |date=2015-07-15 }}

On April 18, 2017, Google completed the sale of Terra Bella and its SkySat satellite constellation to Planet Labs.{{cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/terra-bella-officially-joins-planet/|title=Terra Bella Officially Joins Planet|work=planet.com|access-date=18 April 2017}} As part of the sale, Google acquired an equity stake in Planet and entered into a multi-year agreement to purchase SkySat imaging data.{{cite news|last1=Foust|first1=Jeff|title=Planet confirms Google stake as Terra Bella deal closes - SpaceNews.com|url=http://spacenews.com/planet-confirms-google-stake-as-terra-bella-deal-closes/|website=SpaceNews.com|publisher=Space News|access-date=1 May 2017|date=19 April 2017}}

On January 21, 2018, a Dove Pioneer CubeSat was part of the payload of a Rocket Lab Electron rocket, the first orbital-entry craft launched from a privately owned and operated spaceport at Māhia Peninsula in New Zealand.{{cite news|title=Space Startup Rocket Lab Successfully Made It To Orbit|author=Alex Knapp|date=January 21, 2018|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2018/01/21/space-startup-rocket-lab-successfully-made-it-to-orbit/?sh=4a65e4374b3b|work=Forbes|access-date=May 12, 2023}}

In July 2018, Planet laid off somewhat less than ten percent of its workforce.[https://spacenews.com/planet-trims-workforce/ Earth observation startup Planet trims workforce by “less than ten percent”], SpaceNews, 18 July 2018, accessed 21 July 2018. In September 2018, the company had launched a total of 298 satellites, 150 of which were still active.

{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/09/14/inside-planet-labs-new-satellite-manufacturing-site/ |title=Inside Planet Labs' new satellite manufacturing site |work=TechCrunch |date=2018-09-14 |access-date=2018-10-26}}

On December 18, 2018, Planet announced they were in the process of acquiring the St Louis company, Boundless Spatial, Inc., a geospatial data software company.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/planet-to-acquire-boundless/|title=Planet to Acquire Boundless to Further Support U.S. Government Business|access-date=2019-03-10}}{{Cite web|url=https://qz.com/1642153/planets-purchase-price-for-boundless-spatial-cut-in-half-after-failed-disclosure/|title=Investors lose $24 million in satellite intelligence tie-up gone wrong|first=Tim|last=Fernholz|website=Quartz}}

Several weeks after their acquisition of Boundless, Planet's attorneys asserted that executives from Boundless had failed to disclose “information concerning material customer contracts,” and the acquisition was thereafter renegotiated down by more than half, from $40M to $16M. According to Quartz, the executives of Boundless had failed to disclose details concerning work, or details concerning future work, with the NGA.{{Cite web |date=2019-06-14 |title=Investors lose $24 million in satellite intelligence tie-up gone wrong |url=https://qz.com/1642153/planets-purchase-price-for-boundless-spatial-cut-in-half-after-failed-disclosure |access-date=2023-07-22 |website=Quartz |language=en}}

On 3 July 2020, it was mentioned in the news that the company had "more than 120" active satellites at the time "providing daily imaging coverage over all of the world's landmass".{{Cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/07/03/rocket-lab-aims-for-saturday-launch-in-new-zealand-closes-in-on-first-mission-from-virginia/|title = Rocket Lab plans next launch Saturday, closes in on first mission from Virginia – Spaceflight Now}}

In August 2020, Planet completed its SkySat Constellation of 21 satellites by launching the final three SkySats on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket.{{Cite news|date=2020-06-09|title=Satellites Are Capturing the Protests, and Just About Everything Else on Earth|language=en|work=Bloomberg.com|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-06-09/black-lives-matter-dc-street-art-captured-by-satellite-in-orbit|access-date=2020-12-09}}

In May 2022, SES Government Solutions (now SES Space & Defense), a wholly-owned subsidiary of communications satellite owner and operator, SES, in partnership with Planet Labs, was awarded a US$28.96 million contract from NASA's Communications Services Project for real-time, always-on low-latency connectivity services to NASA spacecraft in low-Earth orbit for routine missions, contingency operations, launch and ascent, and early operations phase communications, using SES's geostationary orbiting C-band satellites and medium Earth orbiting Ka-band satellites, including the O3b mPOWER constellation.[https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-industry-to-collaborate-on-space-communications-by-2025 NASA, Industry to Collaborate on Space Communications by 2025] NASA. 20 April 2022. Accessed 29 May 2022[https://advanced-television.com/2022/05/10/ses-wins-nasa-contract/ SES wins NASA contract] Advanced Television. 10 May 2022. Accessed 29 May 2022

In August 2023, Planet cited "restructuring" as the reason for laying off 10% of its employees, about 120 individuals.{{cite web |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |title=Planet lays off about 10% of workforce as satellite imagery company restructures |website=CNBC |date=2023-08-01 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2023/08/01/planet-pl-lays-off-about-10percent-company-restructures.html |access-date=2023-10-26}} CEO William Marshall released a statement saying, "I want to be clear that I am responsible for the decisions that led us here. I know this has significant effects on the lives of our team and their families, and for that I am sorry."{{Cite web |title=A Note from our CEO |url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/a-note-from-our-ceo/ |access-date=2023-10-26}}

In March 2024, Planet Labs Federal, a subsidiary of Planet Labs, was awarded a contract by NIWC-PAC to incorporate Planet's SkySat and PlanetScope data into SeaVision.{{Cite web |last=Weltman |first=Abbey |date=2024-03-06 |title=Planet Wins Contract from Naval Information Warfare Center for Vessel Detection |url=https://www.satellitetoday.com/imagery-and-sensing/2024/03/06/planet-wins-contract-from-naval-information-warfare-center-for-vessel-detection/ |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Via Satellite |language=en-US}}

In June 2024, Planet Labs announced a reduction of nearly 17% of its global workforce, equating to approximately 180 jobs. The company stated in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that the layoffs were necessary to align resources with market opportunities, improve operational efficiency, and support long-term growth and profitability. The decision is expected to incur a one-off cost of around $9.5 million to $10.5 million.{{Cite web |last=Foust |first=Jeff |date=2024-06-27 |title=Planet lays off 17% of workforce |url=https://spacenews.com/planet-lays-off-17-of-workforce/ |access-date=2024-06-28 |website=SpaceNews |language=en-US}}

File:Planet Labs Mission Control (38060577932).jpg

Planet's PlanetScope Dove satellite constellation is designed to observe Earth. By using several small satellites, CubeSats, the constellation produces three to five meters high resolution images of Earth. The flock collects images from latitudes that are within 52 degrees of Earth's equator.{{Cite web |url=https://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/1326.html#overview|title=NASA - NanoRacks-Planet Labs-Dove|last=Escobedo Jr.|first=Victor M.|date=November 22, 2016|website=www.nasa.gov |access-date=2019-03-05}} {{PD-notice}} A large portion of the world's agricultural regions and population lie within the area imaged by the flock. Initially, the mission used the ISS (International Space Station) and different track launch vehicles to get in orbit.{{cite web|url=http://spaceflight101.com/minotaur-c-skysat/flock-3m/|title=Flock-3m – Minotaur-C – SkySat|website=spaceflight101.com|access-date=12 March 2018}}

{{further|Flock-1}}

Planet's Dove satellites are CubeSats that weigh {{convert|4|kg}} (1000 times lower than other commercial imaging satellites), {{convert|10|x|10|x|30|cm}} in length, width and height,{{cite AV media|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UHkEbemburs|title=Will Marshall: Tiny satellites that photograph the entire planet, every day|date=18 November 2014|work=YouTube}} orbit at a height of about {{convert|400|km}} and provide imagery with a resolution of {{convert|3|–|5|m}} and envisaged environmental, humanitarian, and business applications.Werner, Debra. [https://archive.today/20131126195527/http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/38361with-2-more-cubesats-in-orbit-earth-imaging-startup-planet-labs-ships-next "With 2 More Cubesats in Orbit, Earth-imaging Startup Planet Labs Ships Next Batch of 28 to Wallops"], spacenews.com, 26 November 2013. Retrieved on 26 November 2013.Bradshaw, Tim. [http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/a8b611c0-5661-11e3-ab12-00144feabdc0.html "US start-up to launch record number of satellites"], ft.com, 26 November 2013. Retrieved on 26 November 2013.

• Flock 1c, consisting of 11 Dove satellites, was successfully launched on 19 June 2014 with a Dnepr rocket on a record-breaking launch that carried to orbit the largest number of satellites up to that time, 37.{{cite web |last=Graham |first=William |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2014/06/russian-dnepr-rocket-record-launch-37-satellites/ |title=Russian Dnepr rocket lofts record haul of 37 satellites |date=19 June 2014 |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight}}
• Flock 1b, consisting of 28 Dove satellites, was successfully launched to the ISS on 13 July 2014 with the Cygnus Orb-2 cargo mission.{{cite web |last=Malik |first=Tariq |url=https://www.space.com/26537-private-cygnus-spaceship-delivers-nasa-cargo.html |title=Private Cygnus Spaceship Delivers NASA Cargo to Space Station |work=Space.com |date=16 July 2014 |access-date=22 January 2022}} All of those satellites have been deployed from the ISS but 6, that have been returned to Earth with the SpaceX CRS-5 mission 212 days later.{{cite web|url=http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/flock-1.htm|title=Flock-1 |last=Krebs |first= Gunter Dirk|publisher=Gunter's Space Page|date=16 January 2016|access-date=2016-01-22}}
• Flock 1d, consisting of 26 Dove satellites, was supposed to be carried to the ISS with the Cygnus Orb-3 cargo mission but was lost due the Antares rocket exploding seconds after liftoff.{{cite web|url=http://www.slate.com/blogs/bad_astronomy/2014/10/28/breaking_antares_rocket_explodes_on_takeoff.html |title=Breaking: Antares Rocket Explodes On Takeoff|publisher=Slate|last=Plait|first=Phil|date=28 October 2014|access-date=22 January 2022}}
• Flock 1d', consisting of 2 Dove satellites, was launched successfully as a replacement of the lost Flock 1d group on 10 January 2015 with the SpaceX CRS-5 cargo mission{{cite web |last=Graham |first=William |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/01/spacex-dragon-crs-5-launch-historic-core-return/ |title=CRS-5 Dragon successfully launched – Core ASDS landing attempted |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=10 January 2015 |access-date=22 January 2022}} and was later deployed from the ISS on 3 March 2015. Decayed on 13 October and 17 December 2015 respectively.
• Flock 1e, consisting of 14 Dove satellites, was successfully launched on 14 April 2015 with the SpaceX CRS-6 cargo mission{{cite web |last=Graham |first=William |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/04/spacex-falcon-9-crs-6-dragon-stage-return/ |title=SpaceX Falcon 9 launches CRS-6 Dragon en route to ISS |date=13 April 2015 |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight}} and was later deployed from the ISS between the 13 and the 16 July 2015.
• Flock 1f, consisting of 8 Dove satellites, was supposed to be carried to the ISS on 28 June 2015 with the SpaceX CRS-7 cargo mission but was lost due to the Falcon 9 rocket disintegrating 139 seconds into the flight.{{cite news |title=Unmanned SpaceX rocket explodes after Florida launch |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-33305083 |access-date=June 28, 2015 |work=BBC News |date=June 28, 2015}}
• Flock 2b, consisting of 14 Dove satellites, was successfully launched on 19 August 2015 with the HTV-5 cargo mission{{cite web |last1=Gebhardt |first1=Chris |last2=Bergin |first2=Chris |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/08/htv-5-kounotori-launch-space-station/ |title=HTV-5 Kounotori sets sail for the ISS |date=18 August 2015 |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight}} and all but two satellites of the group has been deployed from the ISS, starting from 15 September 2015.
• Flock 2e, consisting of 12 Dove Satellites, was successfully launched on 6 December 2015 with the Cygnus OA-4 cargo mission{{cite news|last=Graham |first=William |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/12/cygnus-return-atlas-v-launch/ |title=Cygnus returns to space via Atlas V launch |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=6 December 2015 |access-date=22 January 2022}} and was deployed from the ISS between 17 May and 1 June 2016. Decayed between 25 July 2017 and 14 August 2018.
• Flock 2e', consisting of 20 Dove Satellites, was successfully launched on 23 March 2016 with the Cygnus OA-6 cargo mission{{cite news|last=Graham |first=William|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2016/03/cygnus-final-atlas-iss/|title=OA-6 Cygnus launched to the ISS via Atlas V|work=NASA Spaceflight|date=March 22, 2016|access-date=2016-03-27}} and was deployed from the ISS between 17 May and 14 September 2016. Decayed between 3 October 2017 and 10 November 2018.
• Flock 2p, consisting of twelve Dove satellites, and Flock 3p, consisting of 88 Dove satellites, were launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, India, by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) PSLV-C37 on 22 June 2016 and 15 February 2017, respectively.[http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/science/10-things-to-know-about-Isros-20-satellites-mission/listshow/52862888.cms 10 things to know about ISRO's 20 satellites mission] Times of India 22 June 2016{{Cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/isro-sets-history-launches-104-satellites-in-one-go/articleshow/57159734.cms |first1=U |last1=Tejonmayam |title=Isro creates history, launches 104 satellites in one go|access-date=15 February 2017|work=The Times of India|date=15 February 2017}} Flock 3p was the largest satellite fleet ever launched.{{Cite news|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/3170080/robots/india-launches-88-earth-imaging-satellites-from-planet-labs.html |first1=John |last1=Ribeiro |date=Feb 14, 2017 |title=India launches 88 earth imaging satellites from Planet Labs|work=PCWorld|access-date=2017-02-15}}
• Flock 2k, consisting of 48 Dove satellites, launched to 485 km altitude orbit on 14 July 2017 aboard Soyuz-2.1a.{{cite web|url=http://spaceflight101.com/soyuz-launches-on-73-satellite-cluster-mission/|title=Launch Success – Russia's Soyuz Delivers 73 Satellites in Complex Multi-Orbit Mission |website=Spaceflight101 |date= July 14, 2017 |access-date=4 November 2017}}{{cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/when-doves-fly-48-flock-2k-satellites-successfully-launched-and-deployed/ |first1= Mike |last1=Safyan |date=July 14, 2017 |title=When Doves Fly: 48 Flock 2k Satellites Successfully Launched and Deployed|website=Planet Labs |access-date=4 November 2017}}{{cite news|title=Soyuz launches 73 satellites|author=Jeff Foust|date=July 14, 2017|url=https://spacenews.com/soyuz-launches-73-satellites/|publisher=Space News|access-date=May 12, 2023 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20231129061739/https://spacenews.com/soyuz-launches-73-satellites/ |archive-date= November 29, 2023 }}
• Flock 3m, consisting of 4 Dove satellites, was launched on 31 October 2017 on a Minotaur C rocket, along with six of Planet's SkySat satellites.{{Cite web |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2017/10/31/ten-commercial-earth-observing-satellites-launched-aboard-minotaur-c-rocket/|title=Ten commercial Earth-observing satellites launched aboard Minotaur-C rocket – Spaceflight Now|website=Spaceflight Now|access-date=2017-11-03}}
• Flock 3p', consisting of 4 Dove satellites, was launched in India ISRO's PSLV-C40 mission on 12 January 2018.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/planet-to-launch-on-pslv-c40/ |title=Planet to fly four Dove satellites on ISRO's PSLV-C40|website=Planet Lab|date=2017-11-29|access-date=2018-01-18}} Decayed between 18 March and 17 August 2023.
• A single Dove satellite nicknamed Dove Pioneer was launched on 21 January 2018 onboard the first successful flight (and second overall) of Rocket Lab Electron rocket.{{cite web |last1=Gebhardt |first1=Chris |last2=Bergin |first2=Chris |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/01/rocket-lab-second-electron-launch/ |title=Rocket Lab successfully conducts second Electron launch |date=20 January 2018 |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight}} Decayed on 22 September 2019.
• Flock 3r, consisting of 16 Dove satellites, was successfully launched on 29 November 2018 with the PSLV-C43 mission.{{Cite web|last=Graham |first=William |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2018/11/pslv-hysis-launch-numerous-co-passengers/ |title=PSLV conducts HySIS launch with numerous co-passengers |date=28 November 2018 |access-date=22 January 2022 |work=NASASpaceFlight}}
• Flock 3s, consisting of 3 satellites, was successfully launched on 3 December 2018 to a 575 km altitude orbit aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/five-satellites-launch-on-falcon-9-sso-a/|title=Flock 3s And 2 SkySats Successfully Launch On Falcon 9 SSO-A|last=Safyan|first=Mike|date=3 December 2018|website=Planet Labs|access-date=8 March 2019}}{{cite news|title=SpaceX launches swarm of satellites, flies rocket for third time|date=December 3, 2018 |author=Stephen Clark|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2018/12/03/spacex-launches-swarm-of-satellites-re-flies-rocket-for-third-time/|website=Spaceflight Now|access-date=May 12, 2023}}
• Flock 3k, consisting of 12 Dove satellites, was successfully launched on 27 December 2018. The flock was launched on a Soyuz Rocket from the Vostochny Cosmodrome in Russia into a sun-synchronous orbit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/12-dove-satellites-successfully-launched-on-soyuz-rocket/ |website=Planet |first1= Mike |last1=Safyan |date= December 27, 2018 |title=12 Dove Satellites Successfully Launched on Soyuz Rocket|access-date=2019-03-06}}{{Cite web|url=https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2018-111V|title= Spacecraft - Details|website=NASA - NSSDCA |access-date=2019-03-06}} {{PD-notice}}
• Flock 4a, launched 1 April 2019, consisting of 20 SuperDoves, was the first flock including satellites with improved imaging technology. The flock was delivered to 504 km sun-synchronous orbit on ISRO's PSLV-C45 rocket.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/first-up-for-2019-pslv-launch-of-20-next-generation-doves/|title=First Up For 2019: PSLV Launch Of 20 Next Generation Doves|last=Safyan |first=Mike|date=6 March 2019|website=Planet Labs|access-date=8 March 2019}}{{Cite web|url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/PrintRelease.aspx?relid=189618 |date=Apr 1, 2019 |title=PSLV-C45 successfully launches EMISAT and 28 customer satellites|website=Press Information Bureau |access-date=2019-10-24}}
• Flock 4p, consisting 12 SuperDoves{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/more-spectral-bands-50cm-global-analytics-change-detection/ |website=Planet |date= October 15, 2019 |title=Planet Announces More Spectral Bands, 50cm Resolution, Global Analytics, and Change Detection|access-date=2019-10-24}} with multiple spectral bands and other improvements was launched at 03:58 UTC on 27 November 2019 by PSLV C47 into a sun-synchronous orbit.{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/12-superdove-satellites-hitching-a-ride-to-orbit-on-pslv/ |website=Planet |first1= Mike |last1=Safyan |date=October 24, 2019 |title=12 SuperDove Satellites Hitching a Ride to Orbit on the PSLV |access-date=2019-10-24}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/a-successful-launch-for-flock-4p-on-the-pslv/ |website=Planet |first1= Mike |last1=Safyan |date=November 26, 2019 |title=A Successful Launch for Flock 4p on the PSLV|access-date=2019-11-28}}
• Flock 4e, consisting of 5 SuperDoves was planned to be launched into a 500 km SSO orbit onboard Electron on 4 July 2020.{{Cite web|title=Pics or It Didn't Happen: The Rocket Lab Launch of Five New SuperDoves |website=Planet |first1= Mike |last1=Safyan |date= June 15, 2020 |url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/pics-or-it-didnt-happen-rocket-lab/|access-date=2020-07-05}} However, due to a failure during the second stage burn, the payloads failed to reach orbit.{{cite web |last1=Foust |first1=Jeff |title=Rocket Lab Electron launch fails |url=https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-electron-launch-fails/ |website=SpaceNews |access-date=4 July 2020 |date=4 July 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200704223500/https://spacenews.com/rocket-lab-electron-launch-fails/ |archive-date=4 July 2020 }}
• Flock-4v, consisting of 26 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on 3 September 2020 with a Vega rocket as part of the Small Satellites Mission Service Proof of Concept (SSMS PoC) mission.{{cite web |last=Clark |first=Stephen |url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/09/03/vega-rocket-deploys-53-satellites-on-successful-return-to-flight-mission/ |title=Vega rocket deploys 53 satellites on successful return to flight mission |work=Spaceflight Now |date=3 September 2020 |access-date=3 September 2020}}
• Flock 4e’, consisting of 9 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on Rocket Labs Electron Rocket on 28 October 28 2020.{{Cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|title=Rocket Lab successfully launches satellites for Planet and Canon – Spaceflight Now|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/10/28/rocket-lab-successfully-launches-satellites-for-planet-and-canon/|access-date=2020-12-16|language=en-US}}
• Flock 4s, consisting of 48 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on SpaceX's Transporter-1 mission. This record-breaking launch successfully deployed 143 satellites - the most ever on a single mission.
• Flock 4x, consisting of 44 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on SpaceX's Transporter-3 mission on 13 January 2022.{{cite web |last=Sesnic |first=Trevor |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2022/01/starlink-4-5/ |title=SpaceX conducts first orbital launch of 2022 with Starlink Group 4-5 |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=6 January 2022 |access-date=6 January 2022}}
• Flock 4y, consisting of 36 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on SpaceX's Transporter-6 mission on 3 January 2023.{{cite web |last=Lentz |first=Danny |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/01/spacex-transporter-6/ |title=SpaceX rings in 2023 with Transporter-6 rideshare mission |work=NASASpaceFlight |date=3 January 2023 |access-date=4 January 2023}}
• Flock 4q, consisting of 36 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on SpaceX's Transporter-9 mission on 11 November 2023.{{cite web |last=Lentz |first=Danny |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2023/11/transporter-9/ |title=SpaceX Transporter 9 rideshare features new OTV from Tom Mueller's Impulse Space |date=11 November 2023 |access-date=11 November 2023 |work=NASASpaceFlight}}
• Flock 4be, consisting of 36 SuperDoves, was successfully launched on SpaceX's Transporter-11 mission on 16 August 2024.{{cite web |url=https://nextspaceflight.com/launches/details/7008 |title=Transporter-11 |work=Next Spaceflight |access-date=16 August 2024}}

{{Photomontage

| photo1a = Dukono, Indonesia, 2016-08-24 by Planet Labs.jpg

| photo1b = Dukono, Indonesia, 2016-08-25 by Planet Labs.jpg

| photo1c = Dukono, Indonesia, 2017-03-29 by Planet Labs.jpg

| size = 700

| position = center

| text = Three images of Mount Dukono located in the northern part of Halmahera island, Indonesia. Due to the Dove satellites orbiting in "flocks", it's possible to make daily or even hourly image updates of the Earth's surface.

}}

{{main|RapidEye}}

RapidEye was a five-satellite constellation producing {{convert|5|m}} resolution imagery that Planet acquired from the German company BlackBridge.

The satellites were built by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL){{cite web|url=http://blog.sstl.co.uk/archives/174-RapidEye-constellation-launch-successful.html/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091105120605/http://blog.sstl.co.uk/archives/174-RapidEye-constellation-launch-successful.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2009-11-05|title=SSTL's RapidEye blog, 22 May 2008}} of Guildford, subcontracted by MacDonald Dettwiler (MDA) of Richmond, Canada. Each satellite was based on an evolution of the flight-proven SSTL-150{{cite web|last=Krebs|first=Gunter|url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sat/sstl_150.htm|title=SSTL: SSTL-150|work=Gunter's Space Page|date=24 October 2019|access-date=18 December 2019}} bus, measuring less than {{convert|1|m3}} and weighing {{convert|150|kg}} (bus + payload) each. They were launched on 29 August 2008 on a Dnepr rocket from Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan.{{cite web|url=http://tvroscosmos.ru/picture_library/video/start30.wmv|title=Video of the launch provided by Russian space agency Roscosmos|website=TV Roskosmos |access-date=4 November 2017|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111005014710/http://tvroscosmos.ru/picture_library/video/start30.wmv|archive-date=5 October 2011}}

Each of RapidEye's five satellites contained identical Jena-Optronik Spaceborne Scanner JSS 56{{cite web|url=http://www.jena-optronik.de/index.php/en/company/profile.html|title=Jena-Optronik}} multi-spectral pushbroom sensor imagers. The five satellites traveled on the same orbital plane (at an altitude of 630 km), and together were capable of collecting over {{convert|4|e6km}} of {{convert|5|m}} resolution, 5-band color imagery every day. They collected data in the Blue (440–510 nm), Green (520–590 nm), Red (630–690 nm), Red-Edge (690–730 nm) and Near-Infrared (760–880 nm).

The RapidEye constellation was officially retired in April 2020.{{cite web|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/historic-rapideye-constellation-captures-last-light/|title=Historic RapidEye Constellation Captures Last Light|work=Planet Labs|date=2 April 2020|access-date=3 April 2020}}

{{main|SkySat}}

SkySat is a constellation of sub-metre resolution Earth observation satellites that provide imagery, high-definition video and analytics services. Planet acquired the satellites with their purchase of Terra Bella (formerly Skybox Imaging), a Mountain View, California-based company founded in 2009 by Dan Berkenstock, Julian Mann, John Fenwick, and Ching-Yu Hu,{{cite news|last=Perry|first=Tekla S.|title=Start-up Profile: Skybox Imaging|url=https://spectrum.ieee.org/startup-profile-skybox-imaging|access-date=12 May 2014|work=IEEE Spectrum|date=1 May 2013}} from Google in 2017.{{Cite web|url=http://www.satellitetoday.com/technology/2014/08/05/google-closes-skybox-imaging-purchase/ |title=Google Closes Skybox Imaging Purchase|date=2014-08-05|access-date=2014-08-10|website=Via Satellite|last=Henry|first=Caleb}}

The SkySat satellites are based on using inexpensive automotive grade electronics and fast commercially available processors,{{cite web |url=http://www.skybox.com/technology#satellite-sensors|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150317060559/http://www.skybox.com/technology#satellite-sensors|title=High-Performance Satellites|work=Skybox Imaging|archive-date=17 March 2015|access-date=17 March 2017|url-status=dead}} but scaled up to approximately the size of a minifridge.{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2013/06/startup-skybox/|title=Inside a Startup's Plan to Turn a Swarm of DIY Satellites Into an All-Seeing Eye|magazine=Wired|access-date=4 November 2017}} The satellites are approximately {{convert|80|cm}} long, compared to approximately {{convert|30|cm}} for a 3U CubeSat, and weigh {{convert|220|lbs|kg|order=flip}}.

The first SkySat satellite, SkySat-1, was launched on a Dnepr (rocket) from Yasny, Russia on 21 November 2013,{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Stephen|title=Silo-launched Dnepr rocket delivers 32 satellites to space|url=http://www.spaceflightnow.com/news/n1311/21dnepr/#.U3FN-V4Sss2|work=Website|publisher=Spaceflight Now|access-date=12 May 2014}} and the second, SkySat-2, launched on a Soyuz-2/Fregat rocket from Baikonur, Kazakhstan on 8 July 2014.{{cite web|last=Hearn|first=Mark|title=Skybox Imaging successfully launches its SkySat-2 Earth observation satellite|url=http://9to5google.com/2014/07/08/skybox-imaging-successfully-launches-its-skysat-2-earth-observation-satellite/|work=Website|date=8 July 2014|publisher=9to5Google|access-date=8 July 2014}} Four more SkySat units were launched on 16 September 2016, by the Vega rocket's seventh flight from Kourou,{{cite news |url=http://spaceflightnow.com/2016/09/16/vega-rocket-hauls-up-quintet-of-earth-observation-satellites/|title=Vega rocket hauls up quintet of Earth observation satellites|work=Spaceflight Now|first=Stephen |last=Clark|date=16 September 2016}} and six more SkySat satellites, along with four Dove CubeSats, were launched on a Minotaur-C rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base on 31 October 2017.{{cite news|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2017/10/orbital-atk-minotaur-c-skysat-mission-vandenberg/|title=Orbital ATK Minotaur-C launches SkySat mission out of Vandenberg|last=Graham|first=William|date=31 October 2017|work=NASASpaceFlight}}{{cite press release|title=Planet Doubles Sub-1 Meter Imaging Capacity With Successful Launch Of 6 SkySats|url=https://www.planet.com/pulse/planet-doubles-sub-1-meter-imaging-capacity-with-successful-launch-of-6-skysats/ |publisher=Planet Labs Inc.}}

In 2020, Planet lowered their constellation of 15 SkySats from an altitude of 500 kilometers to 450 kilometers to improve the resolution of orthorectified imagery from 80 centimeters to 50 centimeters per pixel.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-13|title=SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites, three Planet SkySats on Falcon 9|url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-58-starlink-satellites-three-planet-skysats-on-falcon-9/|access-date=2021-01-07|website=SpaceNews|language=en-US}}

On June 13, 2020, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched SkySats 16, 17 and 18 along with a batch of its Starlink communications satellites.{{Cite web|date=2020-06-13|title=SpaceX launches 58 Starlink satellites, three Planet SkySats on Falcon 9|url=https://spacenews.com/spacex-launches-58-starlink-satellites-three-planet-skysats-on-falcon-9/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=SpaceNews|language=en-US}}

SkySats 19, 20 and 21 were launched on August 18, 2020 on SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket. This completed the SkySat fleet of 21 high-resolution satellites.{{Cite web|last=Kriening|first=Torsten|date=2020-08-20|title=Planets SkySat Constellation now Complete|url=https://spacewatch.global/2020/08/planets-skysat-constellation-complete-skysats-19-21-successfully-launched/|access-date=2021-01-22|website=SpaceWatch.Global|language=en-US}}

When launched, the SkySat constellation was orbiting at an altitude of {{convert|450|km}} and has a multispectral, panchromatic, and video sensor. It has a spatial resolution of 0.9 metres in its 400–900 nm panchromatic band, making it the smallest satellite to be put in orbit capable of such high resolution imagery. The multispectral sensor collects data in blue (450–515 nm), green (515–595 nm), red (605–695 nm), and near-infrared (740–900 nm) bands, all at 2 metre resolution.{{Cite web|url=https://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/skysat-1/|title=SkySat-1 Satellite Sensor|website=Satellite Imaging Corp|access-date=2018-03-22}}

The Pelican constellation is a constellation of Earth observation satellites to succeed the SkySat constellation.{{cite web |last=Krebs |first=Gunter |url=https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/pelican.htm |title=Pelican 1, ..., x |access-date=14 November 2023 |work=Gunter's Space Page}} The constellation is expected to consist of 32 spacecraft and will be based on a new design that includes Planet's next generation of imaging sensors, capable of capturing images with a 30 cm resolution. The constellation will have a revisit rate up to 10 times per day for most of the globe, up to 30 times per day at mid-latitudes.{{cite web |last=Sheetz |first=Michael |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2022/04/21/planet-details-pelican-line-of-earth-imaging-satellites.html |title=Earth-imaging specialist Planet details more powerful line of Pelican satellites |date=21 April 2022 |access-date=14 November 2023 |work=CNBC}} The first demonstrator satellite, Pelican-1, has been launched on 11 November 2023 on SpaceX Transporter-9 mission and wlll validate the satellite platform, that will be used also on the Tanager satellites, without providing any commercially available data.{{cite web |url=https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231111384977/en/Planet-Launches-First-Pelican-Tech-Demonstration-and-36-SuperDoves-with-SpaceX |title=Planet Launches First Pelican Tech Demonstration and 36 SuperDoves with SpaceX |date=11 November 2023 |access-date=14 November 2023 |work=BusinessWire}}

{{Portal|Spaceflight}}

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• Satellogic
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