| Mission type | Earth observation |
|---|---|
| Operator | DigitalGlobe Formerly GeoEye, Space Imaging |
| COSPAR ID | 1999-051A |
| SATCAT no. | 25919 |
| Mission duration | Final: 15 years, 6 months, 6 days |
| Spacecraft properties | |
| Bus | LM-900[1] |
| Manufacturer | Lockheed Martin Space Systems |
| Launch mass | 817 kg (1,800 lb)[1] |
| Dimensions | 1.83 × 1.57 m (6.0 × 5.2 ft)[1] |
| Power | 1,500 W[1] |
| Start of mission | |
| Launch date | 24 September 1999, 18:22 UTC[2] |
| Rocket | Athena II, LM-007 |
| Launch site | Vandenberg AFB SLC-6 |
| Contractor | Lockheed Martin |
| Entered service | December 1999[1] |
| End of mission | |
| Disposal | Decommissioned |
| Deactivated | 31 March 2015[3] |
| Orbital parameters | |
| Reference system | Geocentric |
| Regime | Low Earth |
| Eccentricity | 0.00028 |
| Perigee altitude | 678 km (421 mi) |
| Apogee altitude | 682 km (424 mi) |
| Inclination | 98.2° |
| Period | 98.4 minutes |
| Epoch | 24 September 1999, 18:22 UTC[2] |
| Main telescope | |
| Type | Cassegrain[1] |
| Diameter | 70 cm (28 in)[1] |
| Focal length | 10 m (394 in)[1] |
| Focal ratio | f/14.3 |
| Wavelengths | Panchromatic: 450–900 nm[1] Multispectral: 450–860 nm[1] |
| Resolution | Panchromatic: 0.82–1 m[1] (32–39 in) Multispectral: 3.28–4 m[1] (129–157 in) |
IKONOS was a commercial Earth observation satellite, and was the first to collect publicly available high-resolution imagery at 1- and 4-meter resolution. It collected multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) imagery. The capability to observe Earth via space-based telescope has been called "one of the most significant developments in the history of the space age", and IKONOS brought imagery rivaling that of military spy satellites to the commercial market.[4][5] IKONOS imagery began being sold on 1 January 2000, and the spacecraft was retired in 2015.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Ikonos-2". eoPortal. European Space Agency. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ^ a b "Launch/Orbital information for Ikonos 2". National Space Science Data Center. NASA. Retrieved 19 September 2016.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
lm-retirewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Broad, William J. (27 April 1999). "Private Spy In Space To Rival Military's (Published 1999)". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 November 2020.
- ^ Broad, William J. (13 October 1999). "Giant Leap for Private Industry: Spies in Space". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 January 2010.