The SPOT satellite system includes several satellites (SPOT 1-5) operated by France and Belgium to observe and monitor Earth. Key specifications of the SPOT satellites include their launch dates between 1986-2002 using Ariane rockets, orbital parameters, onboard instruments including high-resolution visible and infrared cameras, recording and transmission capabilities, and inclusion of vegetation monitoring instruments on some satellites. The SPOT satellites provide high-resolution optical imagery of Earth to study resources, climate, human activities and natural phenomena.

1. Satellite and Their Specifications
SPOT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 Satellites and Their Specification
SPOT (Système Pour l’Observation de la Terre ) ("System for Earth Observation") is a high-
resolution, optical imaging Earth observation satellite system operating from space.
It is run by Spot Image based in Toulouse, France. It was initiated by the CNES (French space
agency) in the 1970s and was developed in association with the SSTC (Belgian scientific, technical and
cultural services) and the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB).
It has been designed to improve the knowledge and management of the Earth by exploring the
Earth's resources, detecting and forecasting phenomena involving climatology and oceanography, and
monitoring human activities and natural phenomena.
The SPOT system includes a series of satellites and ground control resources for satellite control
and programming, image production, and distribution. The satellites were launched with the ESA rocket
launcher Ariane 2, 3, and 4.
The company SPOT Image is marketing the high-resolution images, which SPOT can take from
every corner of the Earth.
Some SPOT 5 Satellite images.
S K Diwakar

2. Satellite and Their Specifications
General Features
SPOT 1,2 & 3 SPOT 4 SPOT 5
SPOT 1 – February 22,1986
SPOT 2 – January 22,1990
Launch date March 24, 1998 May 4, 2002
SPOT 3 – September 26,1993
Launch
Ariane 2/3 Ariane 4
Vehicle
Nominal
3 Years 5 Years
Lifetime
SPOT 1- November 17, 2003
Deorbitation SPOT 2- July 30, 2009 In Orbit In Orbit
SPOT 3- November 1996
Orbit Sun-Synchronous
Local
Equator
10:30 A.M.
Crossing
Time
Altitude at
822 Km.
Equator
Inclination 98.7degree
Velocity 7.4 km/s
Orbital
101.4 Minutes
Period
Orbital Cycle 26 days
Total Mass 1800 kg 2760 kg 3000 kg
Dimensions 2 x 2 x 4.5 m 2 x 2 x 5.6 m 3.1 x 3.1 x 4.5 m
Solar array 1100 W 2100 W 2400 W
Instruments 2 HRV 2 HRVIR 2 HRG
2 Panchromatic (5m),
1 Panchromatic (10m) combined to generate a 2.5
meter product
Spectral 1 Panchromatic (10m)
3 Multispectral (20 m)
Bands and
3 Multispectral (10 m)
Resolution 3 Multispectral (20 m)
1 short-wave infrared
(20m) 1 short-wave infrared
(20m)
S K Diwakar

3. Satellite and Their Specifications
P: 0.51 – 0.73 μm M: 0.61 – 0.68 μm B1 P: 0,48 – 0.71 μm
B1 (green): 0.50 – 0.59 μm (green): 0.50 – 0.59 μm B1 (green): 0.50 – 0.59 μm
Spectral B2 (red): 0.61 – 0.68 μm B2 (red): 0.61 – 0.68 μm B2 (red) : 0.61 – 0.68 μm
Range B3 (NIR): 0.78 – 0.89 μm B3 (NIR): 0.78 – 0.89 μm B3 (NIR): 0.78 – 0.89 μm
B4 (SWIR): 1.58 – 1.75 B4 (SWIR): 1.58 – 1.75 μm
μm
Image
8 bits
Dynamics
Two 120-Gbits
recorders plus 9-
Gbit solid-state
90-Gbit solid-state
Two 60-Gbit recorders memory (~ 560
memory
(~ 280 images on each with an images on each
Recording (~ 210 images with an
average decompressed file size of recorder + 40
Capacity average decompressed
36 Mb) images, with an
file size of 144 Mb)
average
decompressed file
size of 36 Mb)
Two images
Up to 5 images acquired
Two images acquired acquired
simultaneously, 2
simultaneously, then downlinked simultaneously,
Onboard downlinked in real time
OR recorded using a 1.3 then downlinked
Image AND 3 stored onboard
compression ratio (DPCM, OR recorded using
Processing using a 2.6 compression
panchromatic imagery only) a 1.3 compression
ratio (DCT)
ratio (DPCM)
S K Diwakar

4. Satellite and Their Specifications
Vegetation Instrument
SPOT 4 SPOT 5
Passenger
Vegetation 1 Vegetation 2
Instrument
Spectral Bands 4
B0: 0.45-0.52 μm
B2: 0.61 – 0.68 μm
B3: 0.78 – 0.89 μm
Electromagnetic
B4: 1.58 – 1.75 μm
Spectrum
Resolution 1,000 m
Imaging Swath 2.250 Km
Image Dynamics 10 bits
Revisit Interval 1 day
S K Diwakar