Lockheed Martin Commercial Space Systems, an operating unit of Missiles & Space, has revolutionized the space-based imagery market with the development of the first commercial satellite capable of resolving objects on the ground as small as one meter in diameter. The company is providing a spacecraft, designated IKONOS 1, for Space Imaging, Thornton, CO, which offers high-resolution imagery of the Earth to customers around the world.

These spacecraft utilize the LM-900 satellite bus, a three-axis stabilized platform. The main payload is a digital imaging sensor or 'camera' that responds to tasking requests from ground stations. Altitude and speed give it a wide field of view and the ability to capture large quantities of data very quickly. When combined with imagery from other satellite sources and aerial photography, the LM-900 enables Space Imaging to offer extremely high imagery resolution, image quality, information content, and fast delivery time to its customers.