Planet Labs prepares fifth Pelican satellite launch

• Planet Labs prepared Pelican-12, its second-generation high-resolution satellite, for launch aboard SpaceX’s Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission.
• The satellite includes updated payload and communication systems designed to support higher-speed data relay and on-orbit processing tests.
• Planet Labs said Pelican-12 will help evaluate future satellite technologies, including AI-powered edge computing and lower-latency Earth data delivery.

Planet Labs PBC (NYSE:PL) announced that Pelican-12, an updated second-generation high-resolution Pelican satellite, arrived at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station ahead of its planned launch aboard SpaceX’s Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission.

The satellite follows Pelican-11, which launched in July 2026, with Planet Labs adding updates to the payload and communication systems as part of its satellite development program.

Pelican-12 is designed to support intersatellite communications through a steerable antenna, while the company said it will test higher data-rate two-way communications compared with its 2025 demonstration that achieved 1 Mbps.

Planet Labs provides satellite imagery and Earth data services, with its satellite constellation used for applications including agricultural monitoring, infrastructure management, and disaster response.

The company said Pelican-12 will be the fifth Pelican satellite launched in 2026, while Planet Labs continues expanding manufacturing capacity and plans additional Pelican launches in 2027.