REMOTE SENSING PLATFORMS

BALLONS HELICOPTERS AIRPLANES SATELLITES

ORBITS

Geostationary orbit (appr.36.000 km)

Near Polar orbit (appr. 500-1000 km)

MAJOR EARTH OBSERVING SATELLITES

Landsat SPOT Ikonos AVHRR Seawifs GOES Meteosat Terra EOS Satellite (ASTER, MODIS, CERES, MOPITT, MISR)

MAJOR EARTH OBSERVING SATELLITES (contd.)

Radarsat ESA Satellites (ERS, ATSR) India Satellites (IRS, LISS, OCM) Japanese Satellites (JERS, ADEOS, AVNIR, OCTS, MOS, ALOS) Russian Satellites (Priroda, etc)

LANDSAT

LANDSAT
Swath

Width:

185 km 16 days 705 km

Repeat Cycle Orbit Altitude:

Equatorial Crossing: at around 10 a.m. local solar time

Spectral Bands of Landsat-7

Band 1 (Blue) 2 (Green) 3 (Red) 4 (Near IR) 5 (Mid IR) 6 (Thermal IR) 7 (Mid IR) Panchromatic Spectral Range (mm) .450- .515 .525- .605 .630- .690 .750- .900 1.55- 1.75 10.4- 12.5 2.09- 2.35 .520-.900 Ground Resolution 30 30 30 30 30 60 30 15

Landsat Program Summary

S y s t e m L o u n c h ( E n d O f S e r v R e s (m ) A lt ( k m ) (d a y s ) R D ic e ) L a n d s a t 7 /2 3 / 1 9 7 2 ( 1 /6 / 18907(R )B V ), 8 0 (M S S )7 1 8 91 18 L a n d s a t12 2 2 /1 9 7 5 (2 / 2 5 /1 0 8 2B) V ), 8 0 (M S S )7 / 91 18 8 9 (R L a n d s a t 3 /5 / 1 9 7 8 ( 3 /3 1 / 13908(R )B V ), 8 0 (M S S )7 3 91 18 Lan dsat 4 7 /1 6 / 8 2 7) 16 8 0 (M S S ), 3 0 (T M 0 5 Lan dsat 5 3 /1 / 8 4 7) 16 8 0 (M S S ), 3 0 (T M 0 5 L a n d s a t 160 / 5 /1 9 9 3 (1 0 / 5 /11 9 9(P A N ), 3 0 (M 7 0 5 16 5 3) S) Lan dsat 7 D e c -9 8 16 1 5 (P A N ), 3 0 (M 7 0 5 S) (M b p s ) 15 15 15 85 85 85 150

SPOT 4 Characteristics
Band (m) Spectral range (m) resolution (m)
B1 (Green) B2 (Red) B3 (Near IR) SWIR (MIR) .500 - .590 .610 - .680 .790 - .890 1.58 - 1.75

Spatial
20 10 and 20 20 20

IKONOS

Space Imaging Inc.

September 1999

IKONOS Specifications
Launch Date September 24, 1999 Launch Vehicle Athena II Launch Vehicle Manufacturer Lockheed Martin Ground resolution 1-meter panchromatic (nominal at <26deg off nadir) 4-meter multi-spectral (nominal at <26deg off nadir) The ground processing software has the capability to rapidly process and mosaic imagery so as to create seamless image products with a consistent pixel ground sample distance (GSD). Imagery Spectral Response Panchromatic: 0.45 - 0.90 microns Multispectral: #1: Blue 0.45 - 0.52 #2: Green 0.52 0.60 #3: Red 0.63 - 0.69 #4: Near IR 0.76 - 0.90 (same as Landsat 4&5 TM Bands #1-4) Nominal Swath Width 11 km at nadir Areas of Interest a nominal single image at 13 km x13 km strips of 11km x 100 km up to 11 km x 1000 km image mosaics of up to 12,000 sq. km. up to two 10,000 square kilometer contiguous areas in a single pass within a region Metric Accuracy 12-meter horizontal and 10-meter vertical accuracy with no ground control 2-meter horizontal and 3-meter vertical accuracy with ground control These are specified as 90% CE (circular error) for the horizontal and 90% LE (linear error) for the vertical Orbital Information Altitude 423 miles / 681 Inclination 98.1 degrees Speed 4 miles per second / 7 kilometers per second Revisit Frequency 2.9 days at 1-meter resolution; 1.5 days at 1.5-meter resolution Orbit time 98 minutes Orbit type sun-synchronous

IKONOS

Vienna, Austria (enlargement)

One-meter pan-sharpened image of Vienna, Austria. Shown here are the Imperial Palace and gardens. This imagery is useful for trans -portation network monitoring, tourism, real estate and other applications

Vienna, Austria (full)

April 2000

GOES
(Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites)

The GOES series of satellites is the primary weather observation platform for the United States. The latest generation, GOES I-M, represent an advance in data products for weather forecasting and storm warnings over the previous series of geostationary satellites. GOES I-M is a 3-axis stabilized system vs. the older spinscan system, providing more accurate geo-location of earth images.

METEOSAT
Europe's geostationary weather observation satellite Meteosat was launched in November 1993. The 4 channel, 3-spectral-band high resolution radiometer constitutes the main payload on board Meteosat. The radiometer scans in 3 spectral bands: Visible, Infrared, and Water Vapor. The instrument allows continuous imaging of the Earth with images sent every half-hour.

RADARSAT
Canadian Space Agency

RADARSAT Specifications
SAR Characteristics
Frequency / Wavelength RF Bandwidth Transmitter Power (peak) Transmitter Power (average) Maximum Data Rate Antenna Size Antenna Polarization 5.3GHz/C-band 5.6 cm 11.6, 17.3 or 30.0 Mhz 5 kW 300 W 85 Mb/s (recorded) - 105 Mb/s (R/T) 15m x 1.5m HH

Orbit Characteristics
Altitude Inclination Period Ascending node Sun-synchronous 793-821 kilometres 98.6 degrees 101 minutes 18:00 hours 14 orbits per day

Coverage Access Using Maximum Swath Width

North of 70 degrees N North of 48 degrees N The Whole Earth Daily Every 4 days Every 6 days

RADARSAT Specifications (cont.)

Imaging Modes
MODE Fine Standard Wide ScanSAR Narrow ScanSAR Wide Extended(H) Extended(L) NOMINAL NO. OF RESOLUTION (m) POSITIONS/BEAMS 8 30 30 50 100 18-27 30 15 7 3 2 2 3 1 SWATH WIDTH (km) 45 100 150 300 500 75 170 INCIDENCE ANGLES (degrees) 37-47 20-49 20-45 20-49 20-49 52-58 10-22

ESA Satellites and Earth Observation System

ATSR (Along Track Scanning Radiometer)

Objective: sea surface temperature, cloud observations, land and ice surface emissivity Spectral channels: 4 co-registered channels at 1.6, 3.7, 10.8 and 12 micro-meter IFOV: 1 km x 1 km (nadir), 1.5 km x 2 km (forward view) Swath width: 500 km

India Satellites and Earth Observation System

IRS-1C
The earliest Indian satellite IRS-1C was launched in December 1995 and carried instruments with both high and medium spatial resolutions.
IR S-1Cdata is available fromJanuary 1998 to till date IR S-1CW S data is available fromO IF ctober 4th 1999 to till date
SEN R SO L III ISS PR D C D O U T ESC IPTIO R N Standard Full scene based path rowproducts SC L AE 1:250,000 A EA R 141 km 141 x km 72 kmx 72 km 70 kmx (7091) km 35 kmx 35 km 23 kmx (2330) km 14 kmx 14 km 9 kmx 9 km 810 kmx 810 km

L -III ISS PA N PA N PA N PA N PA N W iFS

Standard Q uadrant scene based path row products Standard Full Scene based path rowproducts Standard Q uadrant scene based path row products Standard Sub-scene based path rowproducts G eocoded data products as per SO I for Indian region Point geocoded products Standard Scene based path rowproducts toposheet

1:125,000 N A ot pplicable N A ot pplicable 1:50,000 1:25,000 1:12,500 1:2M

IRS-1D
IRS-1D was successfully launched on September 29, 1997. The satellite is an identical twin to IRS-1C. Thus this satellite couple together gives a revisiting cycle of 12 days as opposed to the single-satellite 24-day revisit cycle.
IRS-1D data is available from April 15th 1998 to till date
SENSOR LISS III LISS -III PAN PRODUCT DESCRIPTION Standard Full scene based path row products Standard Quadrant scene based path row products Standard Full Scene based path row products Standard Quadrant scene based path row products Standard Sub-scene based path row products Geocoded data products as per SOI toposheet for Indian region Point geocoded products Standard Scene based path row products SCALE 1:250,000 1:125,000 NotApplicable AREA 127 km x 145.5 km 63.5 km x 71 km 63 km x 71.8 km

PAN PAN PAN PAN WiFS

NotApplicable 1:50,000 1:25,000 1:12,500 1:2M

31.5 km x 34.5 km (Nadir) 21 km x 23 km (Nadir) 14 km x 14 km 9 km x 9 km 720 km x 778 km

IRS-P3 and IRS-P4

IRS-P3 is a purely research satellite, successfully launched 21 March, 1996 with WiFS sensor such as IRS-1 C/D with SWIR band at resolution 188 x 246 meter. IRS-P4 (OCEANSAT-1) was successfully launched 26 May, 1999. The satellite is equipped with two instruments: OCM ( Ocean Color Monitor ) Sun synchronous at an altitude of 720 km.

Operating in eight narrow spectral bands, 0.400 - 0.885 micrometer, A resolution of 350 m and a swath of 1420 km Used to collect data on chlorophyll concentration, detect and monitor phytoplankton blooms and obtain data on atmospheric aerosols and suspended sediments in the water.

MSMR ( Multifrequency Scanning Microwave Radiometer ). A swath of 1360 km

Operating in four microwave frequencies both in vertical and horizontal polarization Used to collect data on sea surface temperature, wind speed, cloud water content and water vapor content in the atmosphere above the ocean.

Japanese Satellite and Earth Observation System

JERS-1
(Japanese Earth Resources Satellite)
1. Objective: Gather data on global land masses while conducting observation for land surveys, agricultural-forestry-fisheries, environmental protection, disaster prevention and coastal surveillance, with emphasis on locating natural resources. 2. Operation Time : 1992 - 1998 3. Sensors: SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) which is an active microwave sensor OPS (Optical Sensor) that measures light reflected from the earth's surface ranging from visible light to short-wave infrared light.

ADEOS
(Advanced Earth Observing Satellite)
1. Goal: Monitoring global environmental changes such as maritime meteorological conditions, atmospheric ozone, and gases that promote global warming 2. Operation Time : August 1996 - June 1997 3. Sensors: AVNIR (Advanced Visible Near Infrared Radiometer) OCTS (Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner) NSCAT (NASA Scatterometer) TOMS (Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer) POLDER (Polarization and Directionality of the Earth's Reflectance) IMG (Interferometric Monitor for Greenhouse Gases) ILAS (Improved Limb Atmospheric Spectrometer) RIS (Retroreflector In-Space)

AVNIR
(Advanced Visible Near Infrared Radiometer)

Measurement Objectives: Scanning Method : Wavelength:

Land and Coastal Zone Electronic(CCD) Visible( 3 Bands),Near-infrared(1) Panchromatic-Band (visible): 1Bands

Spatial Resolution: Swath Width:

16m, Panchromatic-Band:8m
80km

OCTS
(Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner)
Measurement Objectives: Scanning Method: Wavelength: Ocean Color and Sea Surface Temperature Mechanical Visible: 6 Bands, Thermal-infrared:3 Bands, Middle-infrared: 1 Bands Spatial Resolution: Swath Width:

700m
1400km

MOS
(Marine Observation Satellite MOS-1 / MOS-1b)
1. Objective:
Japan's first marine observation satellite, was launched as a link in a global satellite observation system for more effective natural resource utilization and for environmental protection.

2. Operation Time:
1987 - April 1996

3. Sensors:
MESSR ( Multi-spectral Electronic Self-scanning Radiometer ) An electronic scanning radiometer that observes solar light reflected from the earth surface. It is equipped with two camera systems that are set parallel to the satellite's flight direction. VTIR (Visible and Thermal Infrared Radiometer ) Using a rotating scanning mirror, the VTIR mechanically scans from right to left at right angle to the satellite's flight direction. MSR ( Microwave Scanning Radiometer ) A radio sensor scanning the earth surface along the flight path with its rotating dish antenna.