GeoEye, the world’s largest commercial satellite imaging company, announced today the delivery of the camera for its next-generation commercial imaging satellite to General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems in Gilbert, Arizona for integration into the satellite. When operational, GeoEye-1 will be the world’s highest resolution commercial imaging satellite producing satellite images with a resolution of 0.4 meters.

Satellite Imaging Corporation is an official reseller of GeoEye Satellite Imaging products and services and provides the Oil and Gas E&P, E&C and Geospatial Industry with enhanced 2D/3D Image processing services.

ITT (Rochester, New York) built the sensor, optical telescope assembly, detectors and focal plane assembly, and the high-speed digital processing electronics. The sensor is the single most important component of GeoEye-1 and it is considered a major milestone when the sensor is delivered to the prime contractor. The sensor was delivered to General Dynamics earlier this week.

The major components have now been delivered and the process of integration and testing has begun in preparation for launch. However, GeoEye believes it is possible that integration and testing may not be concluded in time to support a launch this spring for which it is currently scheduled. As a result of this and the busy Delta II launch schedule, GeoEye is working towards a launch from Vandenberg AFB, Calif. in the last quarter of 2007.

GeoEye-1 will be lifted into a near-polar orbit by a Delta II launch vehicle procured by Boeing Launch Services (Huntington Beach, Calif.) from United Launch Alliance, Denver, Colo. This launch vehicle is the most reliable launch vehicle in its class.

“Getting the major components in house and in good condition is a critical achievement toward the successful completion of the program,” said Bill Schuster, GeoEye’s chief operating officer. “The effort now is to bring these pieces together and to thoroughly test the fully integrated system prior to launch to ensure that GeoEye-1 will meet all program performance objectives when it is placed into service. Our goal is 100 percent mission success.”

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This entry was posted by Erik Dafforn on Wednesday, January 24th, 2007 at 5:40 am and is filed under Remote Sensing and Image Processing, Satellite Image Data, Satellite Industry News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.