ICEYE has achieved better-than 1 meter resolution imagery from an under-100 kg. (220 pounds) SAR satellite.
Top image: ICEYE radar satellite imagery that has been acquired and processed at 0.5-meter ground sample distance, featuring a port container terminal near Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
Bottom image: The same location in visible band optical data from EU Copernicus Sentinel-2 global dataset for reference of the target area at similar time. Sentinel-2 is a multi-spectral imaging mission intended for global mapping, not high-resolution imaging, but is used here as a visual reference.
The new Spotlight imaging capability builds on ICEYE’s history-making, first small SAR satellite launch in January of 2018. Since that date, the company has continued to launch more satellites,the latest in July 2019 with two new units. With new satellites continuing to be launched during 2019, ICEYE continues to pursue and optimize its imaging capabilities further for customers in the commercial and government segments.
ICEYE’s newly developed Spotlight imaging mode enables under 1 meter radar imaging from the company’s satellites. With Spotlight imaging, the satellite focuses its energy on a smaller area for a longer time, resulting in more data received from the same location. This, in turn, can be processed into more detailed imagery.
Very high-resolution radar satellite images are uniquely helpful for distinguishing small objects as well as for accurately classifying larger objects such as vessels. These added capabilities of ICEYE’s SAR satellites are especially valuable in resolving challenges in sectors such as emergency response, finance, civil government, and maritime security.
Rafal Modrzewski, the CEO and co-founder of ICEYE, stated that offering satellite imagery day and night, regardless of cloud cover, and at these very high resolutions, makes small SAR the new standard for reliable and timely imaging. The imagery the company has just released shows that the previously perceived limits of small satellite SAR continue to be solved by the firm's extremely talented teams at ICEYE.
Pekka Laurila, CSO and co-founder of ICEYE, added that the company continues to provide commercial SAR data to its customers while developing new and improved capabilities. ICEYE is continually working with customers to help turn these unique capabilities into the industry-specific solutions that they need.
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