After 15-plus years of successful service, DigitalGlobe made the decision to end the IKONOS mission. IKONOS was the world’s first sub-meter commercial earth imaging satellite, kick-starting what would become a multi-billion dollar industry for high resolution satellite imagery and geospatial products and services.
Built and launched by Lockheed Martin, IKONOS exceeded its initial life expectancy by nearly three times, collecting 599,754 images that contributed 408 million sq. km.—more than 8 times the surface of the globe—to the DigitalGlobe ImageLibrary. IKONOS archive imagery, dating back to 1999, provides the longest historical record of high resolution commercial satellite imagery and has greatly contributed to the understanding of our changing planet.
We remember IKONOS through some of its best shots…images that helped us change our view of the world.