SPOT 6 and SPOT 7: extending SPOT continuity to high-resolution, wide-swath imagery

SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 form a constellation of Earth-imaging satellites designed to provide continuity of high-resolution, wide-swath data up to 2023. Both satellites have drawn on technological and operational innovations conceived for the Pléiades constellation.

Simplified standard product

• Automatic orthoimage with location accuracy of 10 m CE90 using Reference3D
• Bundle: simultaneous acquisition of panchromatic and multispectral imagery
  - 1.5 m panchromatic (0.455 µm – 0.745 µm)
  - 6 m multispectral, 4 bands:
      - blue (0.455 µm – 0.525 µm)
      - green (0.530 µm – 0.590 µm)
      - red (0.625 µm – 0.695 µm)
      - near-infrared (0.760 µm – 0.890 µm)
• Pan-sharpened: 1.5-m colour merge combining panchromatic and four multispectral bands
• Imaging swath: 60 km at nadir
• Format: JPEG 2000

Advanced products

• 120 km x 120 km bi-strip or 60 km x 180 km tri-strip mapping in a single pass and delivery of mosaic
• Stereo and tri-stereo acquisition of 60 km x 60 km scenes for production of DEM

• SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 are phased 180° in the same orbit as the Pléiades constellation
• Altitude: 694 km
• Local equator-crossing time (descending node) 10:00 a.m.
• Each satellite has the capacity to acquire up to 3 million sq.km.
• Daily revisits to any point on the globe
• Capability to view out to 30° off track (pitch and roll), extendable to 45°
• Agility identical to that of the Pléiades satellites

• 6 tasking plans per day, per satellite
• Several weather forecasts per day to optimise tasking
• Each tasking plan covers 24 hours
• Up to 750 scenes per tasking plan, per satellite

EADS Astrium took the decision to build the SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 constellation of satellites in 2009 to maintain continuity of high-resolution data collection and distribution provided by the SPOT series.
Spot Image, a subsidiary of Astrium, is funding the satellites alone and owns the data and system (satellites and ground segments). It is also the commercial satellite operator. This is the first time in the remote-sensing industry that satellite development costs have been funded with entirely private funds.