# WorldView-4

> former American Earth observation satellite

**Wikidata**: [Q870032](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q870032)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WorldView-4)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/worldview-4

## Summary
WorldView-4 was a former American Earth observation satellite operated by DigitalGlobe and manufactured by Lockheed Martin Space. Launched in November 2016, it provided commercial satellite imagery until it suffered a failure in its control moment gyroscopes in 2019, leading to its decommissioning in 2021 and subsequent atmospheric reentry.

## Key Facts
- **Instance of:** Earth observation satellite (former entity).
- **Operator:** DigitalGlobe.
- **Manufacturer:** Lockheed Martin Space (general contractor) and ITT Corporation (subcontractor for the telescope).
- **Launch Date:** November 11, 2016, at 18:30:33 UTC.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Atlas V 401 (AV-062).
- **Launch Site:** Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3 East.
- **Mass:** 2,600 kilograms.
- **Cospar ID:** 2016-067A.
- **Decommissioning:** September 2021.
- **Atmospheric Entry:** November 30, 2021, at approximately 05:20 UTC.

## FAQs
### Q: What caused the failure of WorldView-4?
A: The satellite failed in January 2019 due to a malfunction in its control moment gyroscopes. This failure prevented the satellite from pointing accurately for imaging tasks.

### Q: When did WorldView-4 reenter the atmosphere?
A: WorldView-4 underwent atmospheric entry on November 30, 2021. This occurred following its decommissioning in September 2021.

### Q: What was the original name of WorldView-4?
A: The satellite was originally known as GeoEye-2 (GE2) before being renamed. Other aliases include WV04, WV4, and GE02.

## Why It Matters
WorldView-4 served as a critical component of the WorldView series, a lineage of commercial satellites designed for high-fidelity Earth observation. As a platform producing "WorldView-4 satellite imagery," it contributed to geospatial intelligence and commercial mapping sectors before its premature end of service.

Weighing 2,600 kilograms, the satellite represented significant aerospace engineering capability, involving major contractors like Lockheed Martin and ITT Corporation. Its operational life cycle—spanning a successful launch in 2016 to a gyroscopic failure in 2019—highlights the technical challenges of maintaining precision equipment in orbit. The satellite's eventual atmospheric decay in late 2021 marked the final chapter of its utility, requiring operators to transition capabilities to other assets in the DigitalGlobe (now Maxar) constellation.

## Notable For
- Being part of the **WorldView series**, a prominent class of commercial Earth observation satellites.
- Manufacture by **Lockheed Martin Space** as the general contractor.
- Suffering a specific **control moment gyroscope failure** in 2019 that ended its mission.
- Having a mass of **2,600 kilograms**, making it a substantial satellite platform.
- Being powered by **5 spacecraft solar arrays**.

## Body

### Development and Specifications
WorldView-4 was an Earth observation satellite developed in the United States. It was constructed by **Lockheed Martin Space** acting as the general contractor, with **ITT Corporation** serving as a subcontractor responsible for the telescope imaging system. The satellite had a total mass of **2,600 kilograms** and was powered by a spacecraft solar array comprising 5 panels.

### Launch and Early Operations
The satellite was launched on **November 11, 2016**, utilizing an **Atlas V 401** launch vehicle (tail number AV-062). The launch originated from **Vandenberg Space Launch Complex 3 East** at 18:30:33 UTC. It operated under the administration of **DigitalGlobe** and was assigned the Cospar ID **2016-067A**.

### Mission Failure and End of Life
In **January 2019**, WorldView-4 experienced a critical failure involving one of its **control moment gyroscopes**. This hardware failure rendered the satellite unable to maintain the precise attitude required for Earth imaging. Consequently, the satellite was decommissioned in **September 2021**. It ultimately reentered the Earth's atmosphere on **November 30, 2021**, decaying at approximately 05:20 UTC.

### Identity and Alternate Names
The satellite is also known by several aliases, including **GeoEye-2**, **GE2**, **GE02**, **WV04**, **WV4**, **WV 04**, and **WV 4**. It is identified in the Wolfram Language as `Entity["Satellite", "41848"]`.

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/worldview-4.htm)
2. [Source](http://www.exelisinc.com/news/pressreleases/Pages/ITT-Exelis-delivers-imaging-system-for-next-generation,-high-resolution.aspx)
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://twitter.com/maxar/status/1465719098944282624)
5. [Source](https://twitter.com/planet4589/status/1465909153768030209)
6. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
7. [Source](https://spacenews.com/digitalglobe-loses-worldview-4-satellite-to-gyro-failure/)
8. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2016-067A)