WorldView-4

WorldView-4, previously known as GeoEye-2, is a third generation commercial Earth observation satellite launched on 11 November 2016. The spacecraft is operated by DigitalGlobe. With a maximum resolution of 31 cm (12 in), WorldView-4 provides similar imagery as WorldView-3, the highest resolution commercially available at the time of its launch.

Work on GeoEye-2 began in October 2007 when commercial imagery company GeoEye selected ITT Corporation to begin work on long lead-time items for the satellite camera system. In March 2010, an initial contract for construction of the spacecraft was awarded to Lockheed Martin Space Systems, which previously built the Ikonos imaging satellite. At the time, GeoEye-2 was planned for launch in late 2012. The spacecraft's preliminary design review was completed in November 2010, while its critical design review was completed in June 2011.

Lockheed Martin issued a contract to ITT Corporation in August 2010 to continue work on the camera system, and the company announced the completion of the system's critical design review on 1 March 2011. The system was delivered to Lockheed Martin in April 2012, and was mated to the spacecraft bus the following month.

DigitalGlobe agreed to purchase GeoEye in July 2012, and finalized the merger in January 2013. At the time, each company had a satellite being prepared for launch: WorldView-3 and GeoEye-2. Because WorldView-3 offered multiple short-wavelength infrared channels in addition to the standard panchromatic and multiwavelength channels, the company chose to proceed with its launch and to place GeoEye-2 into storage.

In July 2014, DigitalGlobe announced that GeoEye-2 had been renamed to WorldView-4 to better match the company's branding, and that, due to a projected increase in product demand, the spacecraft's launch had been scheduled for mid-2016. The total cost of the spacecraft, including insurance and launch, is estimated at US$835 million.