WorldView-2 and the evolution of the DigitalGlobe remote sensing satellite constellation: introductory paper for the special session on WorldView-2

Neal T. Anderson; Giovanni B. Marchisio

doi:10.1117/12.919756

14 May 2012 WorldView-2 and the evolution of the DigitalGlobe remote sensing satellite constellation: introductory paper for the special session on WorldView-2

Neal T. Anderson, Giovanni B. Marchisio

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 8390, Algorithms and Technologies for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery XVIII; 83900L (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.919756
Event: SPIE Defense, Security, and Sensing, 2012, Baltimore, Maryland, United States

Abstract

Over the last decade DigitalGlobe (DG) has built and launched a series of remote sensing satellites with steadily increasing capabilities: QuickBird, WorldView-1 (WV-1), and WorldView-2 (WV-2). Today, this constellation acquires over 2.5 million km² of imagery on a daily basis. This paper presents the configuration and performance capabilities of each of these satellites, with emphasis on the unique spatial and spectral capabilities of WV-2. WV-2 employs high-precision star tracker and inertial measurement units to achieve a geolocation accuracy of 5 m Circular Error, 90% confidence (CE90). The native resolution of WV-2 is 0.5 m GSD in the panchromatic band and 2 m GSD in 8 multispectral bands. Four of the multispectral bands match those of the Landsat series of satellites; four new bands enable novel and expanded applications. We are rapidly establishing and refreshing a global database of very high resolution (VHR) 8-band multispectral imagery. Control moment gyroscopes (CMGs) on both WV-1 and WV-2 improve collection capacity and provide the agility to capture multi-angle sequences in rapid succession. These capabilities result in a rich combination of image features that can be exploited to develop enhanced monitoring solutions. Algorithms for interpretation and analysis can leverage: 1) broader and more continuous spectral coverage at 2 m resolution; 2) textural and morphological information from the 0.5 m panchromatic band; 3) ancillary information from stereo and multi-angle collects, including high precision digital elevation models; 4) frequent revisits and time-series collects; and 5) the global reference image archives. We introduce the topic of creative fusion of image attributes, as this provides a unifying theme for many of the papers in this WV-2 Special Session.

Citation Download Citation

Neal T. Anderson and Giovanni B. Marchisio "WorldView-2 and the evolution of the DigitalGlobe remote sensing satellite constellation: introductory paper for the special session on WorldView-2", Proc. SPIE 8390, Algorithms and Technologies for Multispectral, Hyperspectral, and Ultraspectral Imagery XVIII, 83900L (14 May 2012); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.919756

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