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System Characterization Report on Planet’s Dove-R

Open-File Report 2021-1030-D
By: , , , and 
https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20211030D

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Executive Summary

This report addresses system characterization of Planet’s Dove-R and is part of a series of system characterization reports produced and delivered by the U.S. Geological Survey Earth Resources Observation and Science Cal/Val Center of Excellence. These reports present and detail the methodology and procedures for characterization; present technical and operational information about the specific sensing system being evaluated; and provide a summary of test measurements, data retention practices, data analysis results, and conclusions.

Since 2013, Planet has launched more than 360 Dove 3U CubeSats, where U stands for 10-centimeter (cm) x 10-cm x 10-cm stowed dimensions, each weighing about 5 kilograms. Since 2015, all Dove satellites have had four-band imagers with about a 4-meter (m) pixel ground sample distance. Since 2016, all Doves have been launched into Sun-synchronous orbits varying from 474 to 524 kilometers, with inclinations between 97 and 98 degrees. The Dove series satellites do not have orbit maintenance capabilities; thus, their orbits decay slowly over time, contributing to shorter lifetimes of about 3 years. More information on Planet satellites and sensors is available in the “2020 Joint Agency Commercial Imagery Evaluation—Remote Sensing Satellite Compendium” and from the manufacturer at https://www.planet.com/.

The Earth Resources Observation and Science Cal/Val Center of Excellence system characterization team completed data analyses to characterize the geometric (interior and exterior), radiometric, and spatial performances. Results of these analyses indicate that Dove-R has an interior geometric performance in the range of −0.306 (−0.102 pixel) to 0.286 m (0.095 pixel) in easting and 0.090 (0.030 pixel) to 1.084 m (0.361 pixel) in northing in band-to-band registration, an exterior geometric performance of −5.10 m (−0.51 pixel) in easting and 3.30 m (0.33 pixel) in northing offset in comparison to Sentinel-2, a radiometric performance in the range of −0.023 to −0.008 in offset and 0.948 to 1.077 in slope, and a spatial performance in the range of 2.96 to 3.15 pixels for full width at half maximum, with a modulation transfer function at a Nyquist frequency in the range of 0.001 to 0.003.

Suggested Citation

Kim, M., Park, S., Anderson, C., and Stensaas, G.L., 2021, System characterization report on Planet’s Dove-R, chap. D of Ramaseri Chandra, S.N., comp., System characterization of Earth observation sensors: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2021–1030, 34 p., https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20211030D.

ISSN: 2331-1258 (online)

Table of Contents

  • Executive Summary
  • Introduction
  • System Description
  • Procedures
  • Measurements
  • Analysis
  • Summary and Conclusions
  • Selected References
Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title System characterization report on Planet’s Dove-R
Series title Open-File Report
Series number 2021-1030
Chapter D
DOI 10.3133/ofr20211030D
Year Published 2021
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Publisher location Reston, VA
Contributing office(s) Earth Resources Observation and Science (EROS) Center
Description v, 34 p.
Online Only (Y/N) Y
Google Analytic Metrics Metrics page
Additional publication details