Exelis’ Craig Oswald: DigitalGlobe WorldView-3 Satellite to Have 16 Spectral Bands

Craig Oswald, commercial imaging manager of geospatial systems at Exelis, has detailed his company’s work to develop a telescope, sensor and shortwave infrared system for DigitalGlobe’s WorldView-3 satellite .

Oswald wrote in a blog post published Thursday that WorldView-3 “will have double the number of spectral bands” and provide a 31-centimeter image resolution.

Exelis also developed the remote sensing payloads for all DigitalGlobe-built satellites, he added.

“Because the characteristics of various materials reflect light differently, the use of more spectral bands is the key to distinguishing between them and why WorldView-3 will provide panchromatic and 16 spectral bands,” Oswald said.

The imaging system is designed for applications in “mapping, land classifications, disaster preparedness and response, soil and vegetation analysis, geology uses, environmental monitoring and coastal applications,” he said.