New commercial satellite WorldView-4 launched; promises high-resolution images of the Earth!

WorldView-4 in the preparation stage at Lockheed Martin. (Image courtesy: Lockheed Martin)

 New Delhi: The coming months are going to be kind toward space afficionados, thanks to a commercial satellite that was launched on Friday.

The satellite, called WorldView-4, was launched from the coast of California aboard the Atlas V rocket that lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base.

What's so special about this satellite is that it will provide high-resolution images to its private and government-funded clients.

Equipped with innovative and advanced camera systems, the satellite will deliver its promise of unprecedented image resolution from space.

These cameras were successfully tested earlier this year, wherein, they were able to capture the detail of a moving car from 400 miles away.

"WorldView-4 is the latest in a series of imaging and data satellites built by Lockheed Martin for customers around the world," a Lockheed Martin official said in a press release. The satellite is outfitted with a camera so accurate it can discern the make and model of a car, advanced star trackers to ensure precision pointing, and antennas that share the collected information back to Earth," the official added, Nature World News reported.

"WorldView-4 dramatically extends DigitalGlobe's position as the industry leader in earth imagery, and insight into our changing planet," Jeffrey R. Tarr, Chief Executive Officer of DigitalGlobe said in an interview, as per Nature World News.

The launch of WorldView-4 was scheduled for September 2016, however, it had to be delayed due to a tank leak and natural wild fires near the launch pad.