FWIW, depending on the satellite (this one is probably WorldView 3), there usually more like ~6-7 channels in the visible.

It makes for easier top-of-atmosphere correction, and can be useful for things other than pretty pictures.

> Basically a 1D sensor that acquires a 2D image because the camera itself is moving.

Or a static camera and a moving subject. This same style of camera is used for "photo finishes" in races. The camera is literally the finish line, and the the first pixel to "cross the line" is the winner.

Also office scanners. Basically, it's still a 2D image, but instead of two spatial dimensions, it has a spacial dimension and a time dimension.

Is CMOS a type of pushboom sensor?

CMOS is a manufacturing method for integrated circuits.

Any type of sensor could be CMOS.

I haven't seen a CCD CMOS, yet, and I don't _think_ microbolometers are CMOS-based (and wouldn't be surprised if no one publically tried). Happy to see some exotic examples, though. Those are always intriguing the hacker curiosity.

Thanks for answering!

Most CMOS imaging sensors in digital cameras do scan, but not like a push-broom sensor. The push-broom sensor only has a single line of pixels that physically moves (or that something moves across), like in a scanner or a photocopier. But as others have said, those sensors might also be fabricated with CMOS technology.

Whereas your normal digital camera has a fixed rectangular array of pixels, and the scanning is just reading them progressively (what's called 'rolling shutter') because it's hard to read them all quickly enough at once. Some more expensive sensors do 'global shutter' which usually has better motion characteristics for video.