Maxar successfully launches final two WorldView Legion satellites, expanding geospatial imaging capabilities

This launch significantly enhances Maxar’s geospatial imaging capabilities, bringing the total number of its high-resolution satellites to seven. These satellites can capture 30 cm-class imagery, representing a major expansion in very-high-resolution Earth observation capacity.

Once fully operational, the WorldView Legion constellation will be able to collect over six million square kilometres of Earth imagery daily. Up to 3.6 million square kilometres of this will be at 30 cm resolution, providing precise and detailed geospatial data.

The increased capacity will support mission planning, emergency response, maritime surveillance, and civil government applications. Additionally, the satellites will contribute to the development of up-to-date basemaps, 3D models, and telecommunications infrastructure.

Dan Smoot, CEO of Maxar Intelligence, hailed the achievement as a milestone for the geospatial industry. He emphasised that the increased capacity will enable more timely data collection and enhance Maxar’s advanced 2D and 3D geospatial products.

Maxar’s integration of AI-powered technologies with the new satellite capacity will provide near real-time geospatial insights. This will allow both government and commercial users to make informed, time-sensitive decisions with greater confidence.

The WorldView Legion satellites will also enhance Maxar’s imaging capabilities by enabling dawn-to-dusk image collection. Their placement in both mid-inclination and sun-synchronous orbits allows for up to 15 daily revisits to key locations.

The first two WorldView Legion satellites launched in May 2024 and have been supporting customer operations since then. A second pair launched in August 2024, with the first images from those satellites delivered late last year.

Built by Maxar Space Systems, these satellites are the first of the Maxar 500™ series to enter space. Chris Johnson, CEO of Maxar Space Systems, reaffirmed the company’s commitment to quality and reliability, describing the WorldView Legion spacecraft as the most advanced commercial Earth observation systems to date.