Understanding Capture Timelines

When placing a tasking order in Aurora, you select the dates during which you want Pixxel's satellite to attempt to capture imagery of your Area of Interest (AOI).

Aurora currently supports Regular Tasking.

Regular Tasking

Regular Tasking is the standard option for requesting new satellite imagery.

A Regular Tasking order must have a capture window of at least 14 days.

You do not need to manually select a tasking product. Aurora determines the applicable tasking option based on the capture window you provide.

Capture Window

Your capture window is the period during which Pixxel's satellites may attempt to capture your requested imagery.

For example:

• Start date: 1 October
• End date: 15 October
• Capture window: 14 days

A longer capture window generally provides greater flexibility for scheduling a successful capture.

Capture Window Requirements

When creating a tasking order:

• Your capture window must be at least 14 days.
• Capture window dates are entered in UTC.
• Your selected start date must be at least 48 hours after the order is placed.
• Your order must pass Aurora's Feasibility Check before it can be placed.

Aurora checks factors such as your AOI, capture window, cloud-cover requirement, off-nadir requirement, and satellite availability to determine whether the requested capture is feasible.

Does a shorter capture window cost more?

At present, Aurora does not offer additional tasking-product tiers based on shorter capture windows.

Regular Tasking has no tasking-product price uplift.

If your requested dates do not meet the requirements for Regular Tasking, Aurora will indicate that the order cannot be fulfilled with the selected parameters. You can then adjust your capture window or other tasking parameters and run the feasibility check again.

What affects the likelihood of a successful capture?

A tasking order being marked as feasible does not guarantee that an image will be successfully captured.

Actual capture can be affected by factors such as:

• Weather and cloud conditions
• Satellite availability
• Scheduling constraints
• Off-nadir requirements
• The size and location of your AOI
• Other operational constraints

Aurora's Feasibility Check is designed to identify whether your requested parameters are practical before you place the order. However, unexpected conditions may still affect the final capture.

Cloud Cover and Off-Nadir Requirements

You can specify cloud-cover and off-nadir preferences when creating your tasking order.

More restrictive requirements can reduce the number of opportunities available for a successful capture. For example, selecting a tighter off-nadir range or a lower cloud-cover threshold may make an order more difficult to fulfil.

For more information, see:

• Off-Nadir and Cloud Cover
• Feasibility Check
• Tasking Products We Offer

Important

The capture window determines when Pixxel may attempt to capture your imagery. It should not be interpreted as a guaranteed capture date.

If you need help selecting an appropriate capture window or tasking configuration, please contact Pixxel Support.