Planet's Pelican Tech Demonstration Satellite Ready for Launch

Planet Labs PBC, a leading provider of daily data and insights about Earth, is gearing up for an exciting launch next month. The company has announced that its Pelican tech demonstration satellite, Pelican-1, along with 36 SuperDoves, have arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base in preparation for their journey into space.

Pelican-1 is a groundbreaking technology demonstration designed and manufactured by Planet. It serves as the first test of Planet’s next-generation, high-resolution fleet, which aims to enhance and replenish the company’s existing high-resolution systems currently in orbit. This innovative satellite will not only provide critical information and learnings for the iterative design of the Pelican fleet but also pave the way for Planet’s future hyperspectral Tanager mission. By launching tech demonstrations across all its satellite fleets, Planet aims to prove the capabilities of its next-generation systems, test new technologies, and improve scalability.

While Pelican-1 focuses on technology testing, the 36 SuperDoves, known as Flock 4q, will contribute to Planet’s flagship daily monitoring mission called PlanetScope. This mission plays a vital role in providing global, daily monitoring data used by numerous customers in defense, civil government, and commercial markets. The data collected by Planet’s satellites offers valuable insights that enable informed decision-making and a better understanding of events happening on the ground. With its extensive archive of Earth’s data, Planet’s continuous monitoring allows users to gain a comprehensive view of their areas of interest and facilitates the development of advanced artificial intelligence models.

Will Marshall, co-founder and CEO of Planet, expressed his excitement about the upcoming launch, stating, “The launch of our first Pelican tech demonstration marks an exciting milestone for us. This new spacecraft bus is an exquisite system that will underpin both our Pelican and Tanager fleets, and we can’t wait to learn and iterate in our agile aerospace model.” Marshall also emphasized the significance of the 36 SuperDoves, which will join Planet’s existing earth imaging fleet, the largest of its kind, and contribute to unlocking new markets.

Planet is committed to delivering best-in-class data and services to its customers, and the upcoming launch of Pelican-1 and the 36 SuperDoves aligns with the company’s mission of making change visible, accessible, and actionable. As the launch window approaches, Planet, along with its launch partner, will share more details, keeping enthusiasts and industry observers eagerly awaiting further updates.

About Planet Labs PBC:
Planet Labs PBC is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery and geospatial solutions. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, the company operates the largest Earth observation fleet of imaging satellites. With over 900 customers worldwide, Planet offers mission-critical data, advanced insights, and software solutions to various industries, including agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education, and finance. Planet’s commitment to imaging the world every day and enabling users to derive unique value from satellite imagery has positioned it as a trusted and innovative player in the industry.