Earth Observation/Remote Sensing Satellites
Satellite Design
2018 – EO/RS Meteorology – Snapshot
In 1900, a hurricane defied U.S. Weather Service predictions and destroyed Galveston, Texas. The highest part of the island on which the city rests is about 2.75 meters (9 feet) above sea level. Death toll estimates vary, but at least . . .
2018 – EO/RS Satellite Manufacturers – Snapshot
Three manufacturers accounted for 47% (83) of all EO/RS satellites deployed in 2018: . . .
2018 – EO/RS Satellite Operators – Snapshot
The countries with spacecraft operators operating the most EO/RS satellites deployed in 2018 were in the U.S. and China. Combined, operators from these two countries accounted for . . .
2018 – EO/RS Satellites Payload Type Breakdown – Snapshot
Optical payloads constituted the largest share of the payloads of the 176 EO/RS satellites deployed during 2018, 82% (144); they were deployed primarily to . . .
2018 – EO/RS Satellites Mission Segment Breakdown – Snapshot
Of the 176 EO/RS satellites deployed in 2018, a majority, 56% (98), were deployed for commercial purposes. The 98 satellites are . . .
2017 – Military Satellites – Snapshot
National security drives national efforts to acquire and operate military satellites. While there some exceptions, most military satellites have very similar capabilities as their commercial…
2017 – Surface Imaging – Snapshot
Surface imaging satellites observe, monitor, and track changes and developments on the Earth’s surface using a variety of optical or electronic imaging capabilities. EO satellites…
2017 – Meteorology – Snapshot
Only three satellites with a dedicated meteorological focus were deployed during 2017—less than 1% of 443 spacecraft deployed during that year. It was also a drop from the number of meteorology satellites deployed in previous years. In 2016, the number of meteorology satellites . . .
2016 – Military Reconnaissance – Snapshot
Earth observation used to be the domain of a nation’s civil agencies and military. In 2016, ## spacecraft were launched or deployed in the Earth’s orbit. More than ##, ##, of those spacecraft were launched with an Earth observation mission. Some commercial Earth observation satellites even carry infrared sensor payloads, which at one time were only found aboard the military’s…
2016 – Meteorology – Snapshot
For all of the importance placed on meteorological satellites, they made up a very small part of the ## Earth observation/remote sensing satellites placed in Earth’s orbit during 2016. With a total of ## satellites, ## meteorological-focused satellites were launched or deployed in 2016 than in 2015, during which ## of the satellites with this core mission were deployed. The…