Planet Launches First Pelican Tech Demonstration and 36 SuperDoves with SpaceX
November 11 2023 - 5:35PM
Business Wire
Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL), a leading provider of daily data and
insights about Earth, today announced that Pelican-1, the first
tech demonstration satellite for its next-generation,
high-resolution Pelican fleet, along with 36 of its SuperDoves,
Flock 4Q, were successfully launched to orbit on SpaceX’s
Transporter-9 mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base on Saturday,
November 11, 2023. The Planet team has successfully made contact
with each satellite and started its commissioning process.
The launch of Pelican-1 is a major milestone for Planet’s
next-generation high-resolution mission. Over time, the Pelican
constellation is expected to offer a more capable and
cost-effective upgrade to the Company’s current high-resolution
satellites, the SkySats. Pelican-1 is not expected to produce
commercially available data; rather the R&D satellite is tasked
with collecting information and on-orbit learnings for integration
into Planet’s future Pelican and Tanager designs, which share a
common satellite bus.
“Pelican-1 was designed and built entirely by the Planet team in
our manufacturing lab in San Francisco, an incredible feat to
accomplish in just a few short years,” said James Mason, Planet’s
Senior Vice President of Space Systems. “I am incredibly proud of
the team’s dedication to this project and ready for the next phase
of the mission - collecting instrumental learnings and feedback
from Pelican-1 on-orbit. These learnings will be critical to both
the Pelican and Tanager missions.”
Planet launches a number of SuperDoves each year in order to
replenish its on-orbit medium resolution fleet with the latest
technology and hardware. The 36 SuperDoves launched today, Planet’s
Flock 4Q, have started their automated commissioning process and
are expected to begin collecting imagery in the coming days. Today,
Planet’s SuperDoves capture daily, 8-band data of Earth’s changing
systems, allowing commercial users, researchers, and governments to
gain unparalleled insight at regional and global scales.
To learn more about Planet’s on-orbit fleet and its products and
services available today, visit its website.
About Planet Labs PBC
Planet is a leading provider of global, daily satellite imagery
and geospatial solutions. Planet is driven by a mission to image
the world every day, and make change visible, accessible and
actionable. Founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists, Planet
designs, builds, and operates the largest Earth observation fleet
of imaging satellites. Planet provides mission-critical data,
advanced insights, and software solutions to over 900 customers,
comprising the world’s leading agriculture, forestry, intelligence,
education and finance companies and government agencies, enabling
users to simply and effectively derive unique value from satellite
imagery. Planet is a public benefit corporation listed on the New
York Stock Exchange as PL. To learn more visit www.planet.com and
follow us on Twitter.
Forward Looking Statements
Except for the historical information contained herein, the
matters set forth in this press release are forward-looking
statements within the meaning of the "safe harbor" provisions of
the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Forward-looking statements are based on Planet’s management’s
beliefs, as well as assumptions made by, and information currently
available to them. Because such statements are based on
expectations as to future financial and operating results and are
not statements of fact, actual results may differ materially from
those projected. Factors which may cause actual results to differ
materially from current expectations include, but are not limited
to: whether the market for Planet’s products and services that is
built upon our data set, which has not existing before, will grow
as expected; whether current customers or prospective customers
adopt Planet’s platform; whether Planet will be able to compete
effectively with the increasing competition in its market Planet’s
international operations creating business and economic risks that
could impact its operations and financial results; the interruption
or failure of Planet’s satellite operations, information technology
infrastructure or loss of its data storage; whether Planet
experiences any adverse events, such as delayed launches, launch
failures, its satellites failing to reach their planned orbital
locations, its satellites failing to operate as intended, being
destroyed or otherwise becoming inoperable, the cost of satellite
launches significantly increasing and/or satellite launch providers
not having sufficient capacity; Planet’s satellites not being able
to capture Earth images due to weather, natural disasters or other
external factors, or as a result of its constellation of satellites
having restrained capacity; if Planet is unable to develop and
release product and service enhancements to respond to rapid
technological change, or to develop new designs and technologies
for its satellites, in a timely and cost-effective manner. All
forward-looking statements reflect Planet’s beliefs and assumptions
only as of the date of this press release. Planet undertakes no
obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect future
events or circumstances.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20231111384977/en/
Planet Press Sarah Bates comms@planet.com Planet Investor
Relations Chris Genualdi ir@planet.com
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