Start-1 | EarlyBird

EarlyBird 1, a remote sensing satellite built by CTA Space Systems (now part of Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC)) for EarthWatch, Inc., was to provide high resolution commercial imagery. EarthWatch planed to offer black-and-white images with a resolution as high as 3 meters per pixel, and color images with a resolution of 15 meters per pixel. The imaging sensor was derived from NASA's cancelled Clark satellite.

Mission Details

  • Launch date: December 24, 1997 at 01:32 PM UTC
  • Launch vehicle: Start-1
  • Operator: Strategic Rocket Forces
  • Launch site: Svobodny Cosmodrome, Russian Federation
  • Mission type: Earth Science