Google has signed a deal to sell its Terra Bella satellite imaging business to Planet Labs (Planet) for an undisclosed sum.

The deal also includes Terra Bella’s SkySat constellation of seven high-resolution satellites, and a multi-year contract that will see Google purchase Earth-imaging data from Planet.

Upon completion of the deal, a number of Terra Bella employees will also join Planet.

Google product and engineering VP Jen Fitzpatrick said: “When we thought about a company that shares Terra Bella’s passion and strengths in high-frequency satellite imaging, Planet was a natural home.

“Terra Bella has accomplished a lot in the past two years, including the design and launch of five more satellites.”

“Planet and Terra Bella together enables the continuation of our mission and makes for an ever-stronger business.”

In 2014, Google bought Terra Bella for $500m.

Terra Bella co-founder John Fenwick said: “From the start, Planet and Terra Bella have shared similar visions and approached aerospace technology from a like-minded position, and while our on-orbit assets and data are different, together we bring unique and valuable capabilities to users.

“Planet and Terra Bella together enables the continuation of our mission and makes for an ever-stronger business.”

Planet Labs currently has a fleet of 60 satellites, which provide medium-resolution imageries.

Following the completion of the Terra Bella acquisition, the company will distribute SkySat data through its suite of geospatial offerings.

Image: San Francisco Bay captured by SkySat satellites. Photo: courtesy of Terra Bella.