Weekly GEOINT Community News

DigitalGlobe Selects SSL to Build New Constellation

DigitalGlobe announced it has selected Space Systems Loral (SSL) to build the spacecraft for its next-generation WorldView Legion constellation. SSL entered into the contract with DigitalGlobe to build the satellites, the first of which is planned to launch in 2020 to replace the WorldView-1, WorldView-2, and GeoEye-1 satellites. The WorldView Legion constellation will double DigitalGlobe’s capacity to collect 30-centimeter and multi-spectral imagery. Once combined with DigitalGlobe’s existing WorldView satellites and the forthcoming Scout small satellite constellation, DigitalGlobe will have the ability to image the most rapidly changing areas of the Earth as frequently as every 20 to 30 minutes.

Airbus Releases WorldDEM4Ortho

Airbus Defence and Space expanded its WorldDEM portfolio with the launch of WorldDEM4Ortho, which is tailored for orthorectification of high-resolution optical and radar satellite data. WordDEM4Ortho will enable corrections of all distortions induced by the topographical variations of the Earth’s surface and satellite orientation when acquiring an image.

TomTom and Baidu to Develop Maps for Driverless Vehicles

TomTom and Chinese web services company Baidu will develop high-definition maps for autonomous driving. Their collaboration combines TomTom and Baidu’s expertise in HD map-making and artificial intelligence, respectively. Baidu will leverage TomTom’s Real-Time Map Platform to improve HD map-related technologies used in China.

Peer Intel

Randall A. Wotring was named AECOM’s chief operating officer effective July 1. Wotring has more than 30 years of experience in the engineering and construction industry and helped grow AECOM’s federal services business with the U.S. Departments of Defense, Homeland Security, and Energy.

Photo Credit: DigitalGlobe