SkySat / eo constellation
sourcingtypical 4/5 · 16 factsSkySat satellites are commercial Earth observation satellites, originally built by Skybox Imaging and licensed to collect high resolution panchromatic and multispectral images of Earth. The fleet operates in a polar inclined, circular orbit at approximately 450 km above Earth. Skybox Imaging was renamed Terra Bella in 2016 and the fleet later passed to Planet Labs, which has announced the Pelican constellation as SkySat's successor.
key details
faq
Who operates SkySat?
SkySat is operated by Planet. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
How many SkySat satellites are active on orbit?
CelesTrak's catalog currently tracks 14 objects for SkySat. (source, as of 2026-09-08)
When did SkySat first launch?
SkySat first launched on 2013-11-21. (source, as of 2026-07-05)
imaging modes
facts
sats active (verified) counts objects currently tracked in CelesTrak's catalog for this constellation. It is a tracking count, not an operator claim about satellite health.
orbit
events
- notable2026-09-03Planet signs 7-figure deal with European defense and intelligence customer
- notable2026-09-03Planet Labs posts record revenue and first adjusted profit
- notable2026-08-17HEO taps Planet's SkySats to expand its space-object imaging network
- notable2026-08-12Nova Systems and Planet partner on space intelligence for Australian defense
- notable2026-08-10Planet launches national satellite data program with Rwanda
- notable2026-07-30Planet Labs wins Scottish government contract for farmland monitoring
- noise2026-07-07Planet launches Pelican-11 tech demo satellite on Transporter-17
- notable2026-07-06Planet Labs adds Wolfgang Schmidt, ex-German Chancellery head, to European board
- notable2026-07-02Isar Aerospace to launch Planet's first German-built satellite mission
- noise2026-06-05Planet Labs sets up $1.5 billion at-the-market equity offering program
timeline
- 20172017-04-14Planet completes acquisition of Terra Bella and the SkySat constellation (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 2017-02-03Planet agrees to acquire Terra Bella and SkySat constellation from Google (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 20162016-03-08Skybox Imaging renames itself Terra Bella (per SpaceNews) (source, as of 2026-07-12)
- 20132013-11-21Skybox Imaging launches SkySat-1, first satellite in the SkySat constellation (source, as of 2026-07-12)
sources
Includes data from Gunter's Space Page: doc_sdat/skysat-3.htm, doc_sdat/skysat-1.htm