Planet Labs PBC is a leading provider of near-daily Earth data. The company recently released the Pelican-6 First Light Image. This image was captured by its new Pelican-6 satellite. The stunning photograph shows Lhasa Gonggar International Airport. This location is in Tibet, China. The image was taken on December 4 from an altitude of about 519 km. Planet Labs PBC launched Pelican-6 with its twin, Pelican-5. They launched on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Transporter-15 mission. That successful launch took place on November 28, 2025.
“We’re proud to share first light imagery from our latest Pelican satellite,” said Will Marshall, Co-Founder and CEO of Planet. “We had first light the day after launch. I’m incredibly proud of the team’s work to rapidly build this fleet.”
The new satellites join Planet’s high-resolution Pelican constellation. This first generation of Pelican satellites offers six multispectral bands. These are optimized for crucial cross-sensor analysis. These Pelicans will ensure the ongoing delivery of Planet’s 50 cm products. They also carry NVIDIA Jetson AI chips on board. On-orbit edge computing uses these chips. Planet also plans for its next generation of Pelican satellites. These will capture even higher 30 cm class resolution imagery.
Expanding Earth Observation Capabilities
This successful capture of the Pelican-6 First Light Image is key. It validates the spacecraft’s rapid deployment and integration. This success leverages Planet’s agile aerospace approach. The company continues to address growing customer demand globally. It rapidly builds and deploys its constellation to achieve this. Image quality will keep improving over time. This happens as the spacecraft finish calibration. They must also reach their final operational orbits.
“By leveraging our agile aerospace approach, we continue to address growing, global customer demand by rapidly building, deploying, and successfully integrating this growing constellation,” Marshall further stated.
The new Pelican-6 First Light Image helps Planet continue its mission. Their goal is to image the world every day. They want to make change visible, accessible, and actionable for all users. The company serves diverse customers. These include intelligence, government, and finance companies. This latest advancement showcases their technological edge.
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News Source: Businesswire.com