High-resolution ocean color imagery from the SeaHawk-HawkEye CubeSat mission.

Abstract

Here we describe the data obtained by a successful proof-of-concept initiative to launch the first ocean color imager on board a CubeSat satellite and collect research-grade imagery at severalfold higher spatial resolution than any other ocean color satellite mission. The 3U CubeSat, named SeaHawk, flew at a nominal altitude of 585 km. Its ocean color sensor, HawkEye, collected 7,471 research-grade push-broom images of 230 × 780 km² at best-in-class 130 × 130 m² per pixel. The sensor is built with comparatively low-cost commercial off-the-shelf optoelectronics and was designed to match NASA SeaWiFS ocean color specifications, including wavelengths, bandwidths, and signal-to-noise ratios. HawkEye's design for ocean color remote sensing combined with its high spatial resolution make the imagery especially well-suited for coastal, estuarine, and limnological applications. Ultimately, the successful mission provided open access to a rich global dataset of calibrated and quality-controlled imagery for use in aquatic ecology and environmental change studies.