ICEYE's Generation 4 SAR microsatellite is the flagship platform of the world's largest synthetic aperture radar constellation, delivering sub-16 cm resolution imagery and all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation.
ICEYE Gen4 SAR Satellite
ICEYE's Generation 4 SAR microsatellite is the flagship platform of the world's largest synthetic aperture radar constellation, delivering sub-16 cm resolution imagery and all-weather, day-and-night Earth observation.
Description
The ICEYE Gen4 satellite is the latest-generation synthetic aperture radar (SAR) microsatellite platform built by ICEYE, a Finnish New Space company. It carries an electronically steerable X-band phased-array antenna doubled in size and radiated power compared to prior ICEYE generations, enabling imaging swaths extended from 150 km to 400 km. Gen4 supports multiple SAR acquisition modes (Dwell, Spot, Strip, and Scan) and can capture 15+ images per single acquisition pass, with data downlink up to 700 Mbps. Because SAR imaging is unaffected by cloud cover, smoke, or darkness, the satellite provides persistent, all-weather, day-and-night monitoring for government, defense/ISR, insurance, maritime, disaster response, and commercial mapping customers. ICEYE also offers Gen4 satellites as sovereign national assets through dedicated mission systems, including a Rheinmetall-ICEYE joint venture producing Gen4 satellites from 2026. Flight heritage: ICEYE launched its first satellite, ICEYE-X1, in 2018, and has since deployed roughly 70+ satellites (as of mid-2026), scaling toward an average production rate of about one satellite per week in 2026, with the Gen4 model first launched in March 2025 aboard a SpaceX Transporter rideshare mission.
Specifications
| Resolution | Up to 16 cm (Gen4); standard modes 1x1 m Spot, 3x3 m Strip, 15x15 m Scan |
|---|---|
| Swath width | 150-400 km (Gen4, doubled vs. prior generations) |
| Imaging modes | Dwell, Spot, Spot Large Extended Area, Strip, Scan |
| Imaging agility | 15+ images per single acquisition pass |
| Data downlink | Up to 700 Mbps via steerable antenna |
| Satellite mass (standard ICEYE-X platform) | ~85 kg |
| Orbit | Sun-synchronous LEO, ~500-620 km altitude, ~97.7° inclination |
| Frequency band | X-band, 9.75 GHz |
| Antenna | Electronically steerable active phased-array; left/right look capability |
| Flight heritage | First satellite ICEYE-X1 launched 2018; ~70+ satellites launched as of mid-2026, world's largest SAR smallsat constellation; Gen4 model first launched March 2025 on SpaceX Transporter-13 |