1. Introduction
1.1 Document Scope
This document serves as the ICEYE Data Product Specification, detailing the full scope of ICEYE imaging data product offering, including specifications, characteristics and performance metrics as they are known at the time of publication. Additionally, it provides an overview of ICEYE tasking, order fulfillment and service levels. It outlines what customers purchasing standard ICEYE products should expect to receive from ICEYE, and equivalently, the product and service attributes that ICEYE targets to provide to its customers for standard imagery.
The document is not intended to be an exhaustive description of Synthetic Aperture Imaging (SAR) imaging, theory or fundamentals. Those topics are covered in the ICEYE SAR 101 section of our website.
1.2 Document Structure
The document is structured as follows:
Section 1 provides an overview of ICEYE capabilities, satellites and sensors as well as the imaging modes, service levels and data products offered by ICEYE. Much of the section summarizes content from the following sections.
Section 2 provides a more detailed discussion of the seven imaging modes that ICEYE currently provides along with the standard tasking parameters, the targeted collection performance attributes, as well as the data product attributes for the corresponding data products for each imaging mode.
Section 3 provides a description of the ICEYE tasking framework, which constitutes the set of options under which tasked imagery can be ordered. This section includes information about how to initiate tasking orders and the details of order fulfillment including deliverables, delivery endpoints and the offered service levels.
Section 4 describes the ICEYE public catalog and how to order archive imagery.
Section 5 provides descriptions of each of the Data Products in the ICEYE offering. For each data product, the available imaging modes, and data file and metadata formats are described; file naming conventions and other technical characteristics are also provided.
The product specification concludes with a glossary, a disclaimer and a change log. The definitions in the glossary have been compiled to improve the understanding of this document.
1.3 ICEYE Capabilities
The unique capabilities that ICEYE provides have positioned the company as a world leader in commercial SAR imaging. As a leader among other novel innovative enterprises in the private space industry also known as NewSpace, ICEYE has pioneered a revolution in spaceborne SAR, miniaturizing this technology to dramatically reduce costs while establishing the world’s largest SAR satellite constellation. This extensive constellation of agile satellites provides unprecedented access to real-time, actionable data for any location on Earth, at any time, and in all weather conditions.
To its trusted partners, governments and commercial industry leaders, ICEYE delivers imaging data that enables informed, data-driven decision-making to address time-critical challenges in various industries such as maritime monitoring, natural catastrophe response and recovery, disaster management, security, insurance, and finance.
This product specification document outlines how ICEYE productizes these capabilities into a diverse portfolio of imaging data products; these data products can be collected with a number of different imaging modes to achieve desired scene size and image quality characteristics. With appropriate tasking priority, service level, and catalog privacy options, ICEYE effectively addresses a wide range of business needs and operational scenarios.
1.4 Satellites and Sensors
The ICEYE global imaging service uses an innovative satellite and sensor design based on advancements in small satellite technologies and a proven, nimble NewSpace approach. The ICEYE fleet comprises two generations of satellites, with Generation 3 offering enhanced imaging capabilities compared to the earlier Generation 2. All ICEYE satellites currently operate in Sun Synchronous Orbits (SSO). The constellation is continually evolving, optimized for persistent monitoring, ensuring fast and repeatable access to any location on Earth.
The ICEYE X-band radar sensors are based on an active phased array antenna which allows for precise electronic radar beam steering. When integrated with a highly agile satellite platform, this technology delivers exceptional imaging versatility, offering a range of products from broad, coarse-resolution images to highly detailed, high-definition outputs concentrated on smaller areas.
Table 1-1 provides a comparative overview between ICEYE Generation 2 and Generation 3 satellites and sensors focusing on imaging resolution (ground, slant range and azimuth), SAR pulse bandwidth, and communication link characteristics (carrier frequency and downlink speed). Moreover, the available imaging modes for the two generations are listed. Note that the imaging modes mentioned in the table are summarized in Section 1.5 and described in Section 2.
Table 1-1: Specifications of ICEYE satellites by generation
| Generation 2 | Generation 3 | Generation 3.5 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ground Resolution | 1 m or coarser | 0.5 m or coarser | 0.25 m or coarser |
| Slant Range Resolution | 0.5 m or coarser | 0.25 m or coarser | 0.125 m or coarser |
| Slant Azimuth Resolution | 0.05 m or coarser | 0.05 m or coarser | 0.05 m or coarser |
| Pulse Bandwidth | 300 MHz | 600 MHz | 1200 MHz |
| Carrier Frequency | 9.65 GHz | 9.65 GHz | 9.65 GHz |
| X-band downlink | Up to 500 Mbps | Up to 500 Mbps & steerable antenna | Up to 500 Mbps & steerable antenna |
| Imaging Modes(See Sections 1.5 and 2) | Spot, Spot Extended Area, Dwell, Strip, Scan | Spot, Spot Extended Area, Spot Fine, Dwell, Dwell Fine, Strip, Scan | Spot, Spot Extended Area, Spot Fine, Dwell, Dwell Fine, Dwell Precise, Strip, Scan |
| Orbit | Sun-synchronous | Sun-synchronous | Sun-synchronous |
Please note that in Table 1-1, the Ground Resolutions are represented as half the Slant Range Resolutions. This ratio exists because the SAR image data is collected by the sensor in the slant plane (the line-of-sight distance from the radar antenna to the target on the ground) but, in order to calculate ground resolution, it needs to be projected onto the ground plane using an Earth ellipsoid model (see Section 5.2.2). The slant range resolution is reduced by a factor of 1/sin(incidence angle). ICEYE utilizes an incidence angle of 30 degrees to define nominal ground resolutions for its highest resolution imaging modes. 1/sin(30°) = 2.
1.5 Overview of Imaging Modes
ICEYE currently provides a total of eight SAR Imaging Modes. Each of the modes leverages one of the following three SAR data Collection Strategies:
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Spotlight. In the spotlight collection strategy the radar beam illuminates a fixed point for an extended period of time. This increases the illumination time and also increases the effective length of the synthetic aperture, improving the azimuth resolution. ICEYE offers six imaging modes based on this collection strategy optimizing different objectives (scene size, high resolution, low speckle, detection of movement and human-made objects). These six modes are Spot, Spot Fine, Spot Extended Area (SLEA), Dwell, Dwell Fine and Dwell Precise. These modes offer the finest resolution and image quality and are the best choice for object identification, detailed monitoring and change detection.
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Stripmap. In the Stripmap collection strategy the ground swath is illuminated with a continuous sequence of pulses while the antenna beam is fixed in its orientation. The beam is pointed off to the side of the satellite at an angle broadside to the satellite flight path. This results in a long image strip parallel to the flight direction. ICEYE offers one imaging mode, Strip, based on this collection strategy. Multiple Strip image frames can be collected in succession. Strip is ideal for applications for which resolution must be balanced with collection area. These use cases include detecting changes in large sea and land areas, characterization of natural disasters and illegal activities, as well as persistent monitoring of border and coastal areas
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ScanSAR. In the ScanSAR collection strategy the satellite’s phased array antenna generates multiple radar beams in the range direction. This illuminates a wide area via multiple adjacent strips. However, because individual points on the ground are illuminated for a shorter duration, the trade-off is reduced resolution in exchange for a significantly larger scene size. ICEYE employs a refined version of this collection strategy known as TOPSAR, which additionally electronically steers the beam from backward to forward in the azimuth direction. This ensures consistent image quality across the captured area. ICEYE offers one imaging mode, Scan, based on this strategy. Scan is ideal for wide area surveillance and monitoring, for example large area maritime search, monitoring of vessels, detection of oil spills and enforcement of exclusive economic zones.
All eight imaging modes are listed in Table 1-2 along with nominal ground resolution and scene size as well as the number of azimuth looks used in the image formation. Each imaging mode is a product with an accompanying specification, and henceforth this document will refer to these modes by their product name. The columns are explained further below. Moreover, Figure 1-1 provides an illustration of the relative surface areas of the different ICEYE imaging modes.
Table 1-2: Overview of the ICEYE imaging modes
| Collection Strategy | Imaging Mode | Scene Dimensions [km](range x az) | Ground Resolution [m] | Number of Looks | Section Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spotlight | Spot | 5 x 5 | 1 | 4 | 2.2 |
| Spotlight | Spot Fine | 5 x 5 | 0.5 | 5 | 2.2 |
| Spotlight | Spot Extended Area (SLEA) | 15 x 15 | 1 | 2 | 2.3 |
| Spotlight | Dwell | 5 x 5 | 1 | 20 | 2.4 |
| Spotlight | Dwell Fine | 5 x 5 | 0.5 | 10 | 2.4 |
| Spotlight | Dwell Precise | 5 x 5 | 0.25 | 5 | 2.4 |
| Stripmap | Strip | Min 30 x 50 Max 30 x 840 |
3 | 1 | 2.5 |
| ScanSAR | Scan | Min 100 x 100 Max 100 x 840 |
15 | 1 | 2.6 |
The Scene Dimensions column describes the lengths of the range (the dimension perpendicular to the satellite's orbit path), and the azimuth (the dimension parallel to the orbit path), which together describe the surface area of the scene size (the rectangle on the Earth's ground plane that is imaged), with each imaging mode.
The Ground Resolution column describes the achievable resolution measured at the center of the scene of amplitude data products (section 5.2) that are projected to the ground.
The Number of Looks refers to the number of independent sub-apertures (looks) that are spatially averaged to minimize speckle noise. Increasing the number of looks effectively reduces speckle, resulting in cleaner and more interpretable data products. In the context of SAR data analysis, reducing speckle is often as critical as achieving high resolution, particularly when performing tasks such as object classification and component-level identification.
The Section Reference column provides links to the relevant subsections of Section 2 where each corresponding imaging mode is thoroughly described and the related tasking parameters and performance characteristics and other attributes are tabulated.
As shown in Table 1-2, there is a trade-off between scene size, image resolution and quality, and the appropriate imaging mode should be chosen after prioritization of imaging requirements. The adaptable design of ICEYE satellites allows for a continuous evolution of imaging mode offerings. Furthermore, ICEYE can support imaging that varies relative to the standard products summarized in Table 1-2, such as extended scene sizes. Please refer to Section 3.1 for more information about Custom Orders and contact ICEYE customer service via the ICEYE website.
Figure 1-1: An illustration of the relative scene size areas of standard ICEYE imaging modes. Note that both Scan and Strip modes can be extended to as much as 840 km in length in the ground track direction as custom orders. Resolution values are ground projected.
1.6 Overview of Service Levels
The Service Levels supported by ICEYE depend on choices made by the customer during ordering. Two tasking options have the highest impact on the Service Level: the Tasking Priority Option (Commercial vs Background), and the Delivery Time Option (8 h vs 3 h). These two tasking options and their impact on Service Level are summarized in Table 1-3.
Table 1-3: Summary of the options that determine the service levels for standard products.
| Option Category | Options | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Tasking Priority Option (Section 3.3) | Commercial | Task prioritization is based on First In, First Out (FIFO): the first task to claim a collection opportunity enjoys priority for that collection opportunity. Commercial priority collections enjoy statistical likelihood of successful collection exceeding 90%. Note that the actual time of the collection may change within the desired collection window. |
| Tasking Priority Option (Section 3.3) | Background | Task prioritization is based on “space available” and subject to being overridden by Commercial priority collections (above). Background tasking is a cost-effective method of tasking collections that are not required to be completed by a specific time. Background tasking completion rates are dependent on the AOI of interest: very high demand AOIs will likely have few opportunities for Background collections. |
| Delivery Time Option(Section 3.6.3) | 8 hour | Data is delivered within 8 hours from the time of acquisition. |
| Delivery Time Option(Section 3.6.3) | 3 hour | Data is delivered within 3 hours from the time of acquisition |
Both standard tasking priority options are compatible with both delivery time options. For example, a customer can place an imaging order with the Commercial tasking priority and the 3 hour delivery time option to enjoy our most rapid delivery as defined in this product specification. This ensures over a 90% chance of successful data collection and subsequent delivery within 3 hours of completing the collection.
Note that as this section only offers a summary, customers are advised to refer to Section 3 to understand these and other options in more detail. Together with the performance characteristics and product attributes of the imaging modes described in Section 2, and the data products described in Section 5, these service levels define ICEYE tasking offering for Standard Orders.
ICEYE can also support non-standard requirements, including delivery service levels not shown in Table 1-3. ICEYE considers requirements falling outside this standard framework as Custom Orders (See Section 3.1). Custom order requirements will be governed by specific contract terms agreed on a case by case basis. Please contact ICEYE to discuss requirements for custom orders. ICEYE customer service can be reached via the Contact pages at ICEYE website.
1.7 Overview of Data Products
ICEYE Data Products can be separated into two groups: Amplitude Data Products and Complex Data Products. The two data product offerings are introduced in Table 1-4 and 1-6, respectively. These tables briefly describe what the different data products are, their characteristics, file formats and special features. Links to the subsections of Section 5 are also provided to make it faster to find more information about each product. The service level and imaging mode support for each data product is described in Table 1-5 and 1-7 for amplitude and complex data products respectively. Note that the Custom service level is given for the Sensor Independent Complex Data (SICD) + Sensor Independent Derived Data(SIDD) and Compensated Phased History Data (CPHD) data products. These industry products are not part of ICEYE standard product offering, but can be provided by special request. As this section merely represents a summary, customers are advised to refer to Section 5 for more information. See section references in the third column of Table 1-4.
Table 1-4: Introduction to ICEYE's Amplitude Data Products
| Abbreviated Name | Full name and description | Section reference |
|---|---|---|
| QLK | Quicklook (QLK) is a raster preview of a GRD image. - Encoded in the PNG file format with metadata included - Compatible with most documentation, presentation and publishing software - Exploitable without GIS software < - Useful for first-phase analysis |
5.2.1 |
| GRD | Ground Range Detected (GRD) is a SAR image with amplitude data only - Projected to the ground surface using an Earth ellipsoid model. May be multi-looked to reduce speckle noise - Produced in the natural range-azimuth sensor orientation - Packaged into the GeoTIFF file format with metadata included - Free of the interpolation artifacts of map projection images. |
5.2.2- 5.2.3 |
| CSI | Colorized Sub-aperture Image (CSI) is a composite SAR image resulting from the coadding of multiple uniquely colored sub-aperture images - Packaged as a GeoTIFF with all metadata included - Excellent for detecting vehicles and human-made structures - Suitable for detecting moving objects. |
5.4.1 |
| VID | SAR Video (VID) is a video with 25 individual frames each representing a discrete sub-aperture SAR images - Packaged in MPEG4 and GIF file formats; a GeoTIFF is also provided with each frame as a separate band. Metadata stored in the GeoTIFF format - Excellent for detecting moving objects. Suitable for detecting human-made structures. |
5.4.2 |
Table 1-5: Amplitude Data Products and their service level and imaging mode support
| Service level | Product | Scan | Strip | Spot Spot Fine Spot Extended Area |
Dwell Dwell Fine Dwell Precise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Delivery SLAs in Section 3.7.3 apply |
Quicklook | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ |
| Standard Delivery SLAs in Section 3.7.3 apply |
GRD | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ |
| Standard Delivery SLAs in Section 3.7.3 apply |
CSI | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅︎ |
| Standard Delivery SLAs in Section 3.7.3 apply |
VID | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ |
Table 1-6: Introduction to ICEYE's Complex Data Products
| Abbreviated Name | Full name and description | Section reference |
|---|---|---|
| SLC | Single Look Complex (SLC) is a SAR image with all the original sensor data retained - Excellent fidelity, full resolution in azimuth and range - Free from interpolation artifacts or projection issues - Packaged into the GeoTIFF file format with metadata included - Excellent for automated processing and advanced exploitation |
5.3.1 - 5.3.2 |
| SICD + SIDD | Sensor Independent Complex Data (SICD) and Sensor Independent Derived Data (SIDD) are industry standard SAR image data products designed to be used in conjunction with each other - Sensor, collection strategy and processing algorithm agnostic - Stored in the NITF file format with metadata in XML - Excellent for vendor-agnostic automated data processing |
5.5.1 |
| CPHD | Compensated Phase History Data (CPHD) is an industry standard data product for SAR phase history data - Compensated for hardware timing and platform motion - Accommodates the Phase History Data (PHD) signal arrays from a variety of SAR sensors in a sensor-independent fashion - Includes a complete set of metadata describing collection geometry and the included PHD arrays - Stored in a purpose-built binary CPHD file format |
5.5.2 |
Table 1-7: Complex Data Products and their service level and imaging mode support
| Service level | Product | Scan | Strip | Spot Spot Fine Spot Extended Area |
Dwell Dwell Fine Dwell Precise |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Delivery SLAs in Section 3.7.3 apply |
SLC | ❌ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ |
| Custom | SICD+SIDD | ❌ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ |
| Custom | CPHD | ❌ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ | ✅︎ |