SpaceX Launches Two Satellites for Maxar's WorldView Legion Constellation

Strategic Insights -

SpaceX has successfully launched two more satellites into orbit, bringing the total number of satellites in the WorldView Legion constellation to four. The two satellites, WorldView Legion 3 and 4, were carried by a Falcon 9 rocket and are part of Maxar's plans to triple its capacity for collecting high-resolution imagery. The WorldView Legion satellites are designed to provide imagery and data to intelligence, defense, and commercial customers, and are built by Maxar Space Systems in California. The constellation will eventually consist of six satellites, with all six expected to be launched in the near future.

Key Takeaways:

  • SpaceX launched two Earth-imaging satellites, WorldView Legion 3 and 4, into orbit using a Falcon 9 rocket.
  • The satellites are part of the WorldView Legion constellation, which is being built by Maxar for its WorldView Legion satellites program.
  • The WorldView Legion satellites are designed to provide high-resolution imagery and data to customers, including intelligence, defense, and commercial organizations.
  • The constellation will eventually consist of six satellites, with all six expected to be launched in the near future.
  • The launch was the 16th for the Falcon 9 rocket used for this mission.
  • The WorldView Legion satellites are built by Maxar Space Systems in California.
  • The satellites will dramatically increase the capacity to revisit rapidly changing areas on Earth, up to 15 times per day.
  • The capacity for collecting 30 cm-class and multispectral imagery will triple once all six WorldView Legion satellites are launched.
  • The full Maxar constellation of 10 electro-optical satellites will be able to image the most rapidly changing areas on Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes.

Statistics:

  • The launch was the 16th for the Falcon 9 rocket used for this mission.
  • The WorldView Legion satellites are the first in the Maxar 500 series, a mid-size platform built in Palo Alto and San Jose, Calif.
  • The satellites will have cameras built by Ratheon, providing record panchromatic resolutions of up to 0.29 meters.
  • The capacity for collecting 30 cm-class imagery will triple once all six WorldView Legion satellites are launched.
  • The full Maxar constellation of 10 electro-optical satellites will be able to image the most rapidly changing areas on Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes, from sunup to sundown.
  • The launch took place at 9 a.m. EDT at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
  • The Space Force 45th Weather Squadron originally predicted an 80% chance of favorable weather for the launch window, only to drop to 70% just before liftoff.

Sources:

  • UPI, "SpaceX launches 2 Earth-imaging satellites for Maxar's WorldView Legion constellation"
  • Maxar Technologies, "Maxar Becomes a Private Company After Acquisition"