Planet releases first images from three new Pelican satellites

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE: PL) released first light imagery from three Pelican satellites launched May 3 from Vandenberg Space Force Base aboard a SpaceX rideshare mission. The satellites captured high-resolution images within days of launch, including locations in Sweden, China, and Nigeria.

One of the satellites represents Sweden's first sovereign satellite, developed for the Swedish Armed Forces. The spacecraft captured imagery of Gotland, Sweden on May 7 from an altitude of 515 kilometers. Additional images were taken of Taiyuan, China on May 5 from 512 kilometers altitude and Ambursu, Nigeria on May 11 from 510 kilometers altitude.

"Just months after announcing our agreement with Sweden in January, we completed manufacturing, launched, and rapidly brought the country's very first satellite online," said Will Marshall, Planet's co-founder and CEO.

Anders Sundeman, Rear Admiral and Head of Space at the Swedish Armed Forces, said the satellite launch puts Sweden "far ahead of our initial 2030 goal" for sovereign space capabilities.

The launch brings Planet's total Pelican constellation to nine satellites in orbit. The satellites capture 50-centimeter class resolution imagery across six multispectral bands. Planet plans additional Pelican launches in 2026.

Planet designs and operates satellite fleets that provide daily Earth imagery and geospatial solutions to agriculture, forestry, intelligence, education, finance and government customers. The company was founded in 2010 by three NASA scientists.

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