Planet Labs Asks to Expand Orbits of SkySats

Hoping to get more life out of its earth exploration satellite service SkySat satellites, Planet Lab seeks FCC International Bureau permission to expand their orbits. In an application posted Monday, it said that could extend the satellite lifetimes by 50% and doesn't create any countervailing harms on spectrum interference or orbital debris mitigation. It asked to operate SkySats 16-21 in orbital altitudes of 345-450 km and SkySat 19 at 345-425 km, rather than the 400-420 for which they are licensed. It also asked to lower the operational range of SkySats 3-15, 20 and 21 to a perigee of 345 km.