Planet Launches Pelican 11 Satellite to Advance Next Generation High Resolution Imaging

Planet Labs PBC has successfully launched Pelican 11, the tech demonstration satellite for the second generation of its high resolution Pelican fleet. The spacecraft flew aboard SpaceX’s Transporter 17 rideshare mission from Vandenberg Space Force Base and has made initial contact, marking the start of commissioning.

Engineering Pathfinder for Planet’s Gen 2 Constellation

Pelican 11 serves as a dedicated engineering pathfinder designed to validate new technologies before they are integrated into Planet’s upcoming Gen 2 Pelican satellites. While Gen 1 Pelicans capture imagery at approximately 50 centimeter class resolution, the Gen 2 design targets 30 centimeter class resolution, positioning the fleet to deliver higher fidelity data for government and commercial customers.

Aligned with Planet’s Agile Aerospace approach, Pelican 11 will enable rapid hardware testing and calibration in orbit. This process is intended to streamline the transition to full scale production and deployment. Pelican 11 is not expected to generate commercial imagery.

Scaling High Resolution, AI Powered Monitoring Capacity

Planet plans to launch additional Pelican spacecraft over the next year to expand its high resolution monitoring capabilities. The company continues to invest in AI enabled analytics and daily imaging capacity to meet growing global demand for persistent Earth observation.

Planet’s Role in the Commercial Earth Observation Market

Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest commercial Earth observation fleet, providing daily global imagery and geospatial solutions. Founded by NASA scientists, the company supports customers across agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education, finance, and government sectors. Its mission is to make global change visible and actionable through accessible satellite data and advanced software tools.