SPOT 4, a new-generation satellite
SPOT 4, launched on March 24, 1998, features significant improvements over its predecessors. Its design lifetime was increased from 3 to 5 years, and its telescopes and recording capacities were improved. Its enhanced observation capabilities give it the edge in an increasingly competitive market.
In addition, SPOT 4 is carrying the new Vegetation instrument. This radiometer, specially designed to provide daily coverage of the entire globe, is a tool designed to study how the Earth's vegetation affects the climate and its variations.