WorldView-2
WorldView-2 (WV 2) is a commercial Earth observation satellite owned by DigitalGlobe. WorldView-2 provides commercially available panchromatic imagery of 0.46 m (18 in) resolution, and eight-band multispectral imagery with 1.84 m (72 in) resolution.[4]
| Mission type | Earth observation | 
|---|---|
| Operator | DigitalGlobe | 
| COSPAR ID | 2009-055A | 
| SATCAT no. | 35946 | 
| Website | DigitalGlobe WorldView-2 | 
| Mission duration | Planned: 7.25 years Elapsed: 12 years, 6 months, 6 days | 
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | BCP-5000[1] | 
| Manufacturer | Ball Aerospace | 
| Launch mass | 2,800 kg (6,200 lb) | 
| Power | 3200 watts | 
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 8 October 2009, 18:51:01 UTC[2] | 
| Rocket | Delta II 7920-10C, D-345[2] | 
| Launch site | Vandenberg SLC-2W[2] | 
| Contractor | Boeing / United Launch Alliance | 
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric | 
| Regime | Sun-synchronous | 
| Perigee altitude | 772 kilometers (480 mi)[3] | 
| Apogee altitude | 773 kilometers (480 mi)[3] | 
| Inclination | 98.40 degrees[3] | 
| Period | 100.16 minutes[3] | 
| Epoch | 25 January 2015, 04:29:44 UTC[3] | 
| DigitalGlobe fleet | |
It was launched 8 October 2009 to become DigitalGlobe's third satellite in orbit, joining WorldView-1 which was launched in 2007 and QuickBird which was launched in 2001.[5] It takes a new photograph of any place on Earth every 1.1 days.[6]
Design
    
Ball Aerospace built the spacecraft, which includes an optical telescope that can image objects 18 in (460 mm) in diameter.
Launch
    
WorldView-2 was launched 8 October 2009 from Vandenberg Air Force Base on a Delta II flying in the 7920 configuration. The launch vehicle was provided by the United Launch Alliance and launch services were administered by Boeing.[7]
History
    
On 19 July 2016, the Joint Space Operations Center reported a debris causing event of at least 9 observable pieces, after which DigitalGlobe demonstrated the satellite to still be functional by releasing an image of downtown Oakland, California.[8][9]
See also
    
    
References
    
- "WorldView 2, 3 (WV 2, 3)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 13 October 2016.
- McDowell, Jonathan. "Launch Log". Jonathan's Space Page. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
- "WORLDVIEW 2 Satellite details 2009-055A NORAD 35946". N2YO. 25 January 2015. Retrieved 25 January 2015.
- "Worldview-2". Magazine article. Asian Surveying and Mapping. 12 October 2009. Archived from the original on 31 October 2009. Retrieved 12 October 2009.
- "DigitalGlobe Successfully Launches Worldview-1". DigitalGlobe. Retrieved 17 October 2013.
- Phillips, Nicky; Grubb, Ben; Aston, Heath. "Detection of MH370 debris required a 'human eyeball operation'". Sydney Morning Herald.
- Ray, Justin (8 October 2009). "Satellite launched to give truer view of the world". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 12 October 2016.
- JSpOC [@JointSpaceOps] (19 July 2016). "19 Jul: JSpOC ID'd debris causing event..." (Tweet). Retrieved 24 July 2016 – via Twitter.
- DigitalGlobe [@DigitalGlobe] (19 July 2016). "Collected by WorldView-2 today..." (Tweet). Retrieved 24 July 2016 – via Twitter.