A satellite passed close enough to the International Space Station to capture this image from above. Most pictures of the station come from the ground or from windows inside it, so this view is unusual.
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The picture was posted on X on November 9 by HEO, a company that photographs other objects in orbit rather than Earth itself. Space.com identifies HEO as an Australian company, and PetaPixel describes it as a software technology company.
How this shot was made
HEO does not build the satellites that take these pictures. Its software uploads to existing spacecraft and tasks them to image targets as they come into range. Space.com notes that this kind of snapshot depends on coordination and technical skill.
Operators must know exactly when a target will appear. Their equipment must then be capable of getting the shot. Both steps have to work on the same pass.
This international space station photo was taken by a BlackSky satellite. BlackSky is based in Virginia and has an agreement with HEO for non-Earth imaging, meaning photography of objects beyond Earth’s surface.
HEO writes, “Engineering at its finest,” and describes the image as the station imaged in orbit above the coast of French Guiana. French Guiana is an overseas department of France on the northeast coast of South America.
Why the sharpness stands out
Speed is what makes this kind of space photography impressive. The satellite and the station both travel at roughly 17,500 miles per hour, or 28,160 kilometers per hour. Keeping the station in sharp focus at that speed requires precise timing and a camera that holds its aim.
In the frame, the station stays crisp. The ocean and clouds below appear to contain some motion blur, which is what you would expect when the camera follows a fast-moving target.
The station flies in low Earth orbit, or LEO, the region of space nearest our planet where many spacecraft operate. Space.com notes that the station and other LEO spacecraft are hundreds of miles above the surface.
A track record of improvement
HEO has photographed other spacecraft as well. Its partners have captured imagery of China‘s Tiangong space station and the European Space Agency‘s ERS-2 satellite while it was falling back to Earth in 2024.
PetaPixel has covered several HEO images of the ISS. In March, a HEO-controlled satellite photographed the station while NASA astronauts Jessica Meir and Chris Williams were on a spacewalk.
The company’s work appears to be getting sharper. PetaPixel finds that an iss photo from 2024 is softer than HEO’s 2026 pictures.
Capturing fast motion takes precise timing, much like high-speed photography on Earth, and this Chronos Q12 Camera Captures Ultra-High-Speed Moments is a useful comparison for anyone curious how cameras freeze rapid action.
Photographers on the ground also aim their cameras at the station. AJ Smadi, whose photo PetaPixel recently featured, captured the ISS and Jupiter lined up in the same frame.
The new satellite view offers something different. It shows the station from a position few people on the ground or aboard it will ever occupy, and it does so with the station in clear focus at 17,500 miles per hour.
H/T petapixel.com
Frequently asked questions
Which satellite took the photo of the International Space Station?
The photo was taken by a BlackSky satellite, and BlackSky is based in Virginia. HEO, which does not build satellites, uploaded its software to the spacecraft and tasked it to image the station.
How fast is the International Space Station traveling in orbit?
The station and the satellite that photographed it both travel at roughly 17,500 miles per hour, or 28,160 kilometers per hour. Keeping the station in sharp focus at that speed requires precise timing and a steady camera.
Where was the International Space Station when this photo was taken?
HEO describes the image as showing the station in orbit above the coast of French Guiana. French Guiana is an overseas department of France on the northeast coast of South America.
Why does the ocean look blurry in the satellite photo of the station?
The station stays crisp while the ocean and clouds below appear to have some motion blur. This is what you would expect when the camera follows a fast-moving target.
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