SpaceWatch.Global An independent perspective on space
World View Enterprises, the stratospheric data and information services company, has announced their plans to build and deploy a fleet of Stratollites, known as World View Orbits, over North and Central America starting this summer. After a series of successful test and development flights to sharpen vehicle flight and navigation capabilities, World View is in final preparations to offer customers high resolution imagery and associated analytics products from an integrated network of vehicles operating in the stratosphere for a variety of use cases.
Speaking at the Next-Generation Suborbital Researchers Conference in Broomfield, Colorado, World View President and CEO Ryan Hartman said, “We are excited to be on the cusp of delivering high value services to initial customers in North and Central America. Our Stratollite fleet will begin launching in the summer timeframe, and initial operational capability (IOC) will follow thereafter with a build-up to full fleet operations expected in first half of 2021.”
World View will provide high resolution imagery access at 15cm ground sample distance (GSD) using precision instruments provided by the company’s industry partners and suppliers. Imagery delivery to end users is via the company’s secure data portal on the World View website.
“As we continue our efforts to build out the stratospheric ecosystem, we are utilizing the best the industry has to offer in terms of commercial instrumentation. However, we are also in the process of implementing a customelectro-optical (EO) sensor to provide higher resolution imagery at better than 5cm GSD,” said World View Senior Vice President of Engineering and Manufacturing Dr. Matteo Genna. “The unique ability to safely land and refurbish the Stratollite allows continuous upgrades and enhancements during operational services delivery.”
This announcement was made on 3 March 2020.
