Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Overview of Earth Observations Satellites
by David E. Pitts
University of Houston Clear Lake
copies of this presentation are available from:
http://sce.uhcl.edu/Pitts/
January 28, 2016
copyright 2015-2016
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Updates on the Status of Earth Observations Satellites can be found on:
http://www.spaceflightnow.com/tracking/index.html
History of satellite launches & upcoming launches is at:
http://www.itc.nl/research/products/sensordb/Launch_Schedule.aspx
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
LANDSAT (as of 1991, Landsat is a joint program of NASA, NOAA, and
USGS)
Landsat 4
Landsat 5
Landsat 6
Landsat 7 (ETM+, no MSS)
July 1982 - 1993
March 1984 -Failed Jan 6, 2013
Sept. 1993 (Failed)
available until 2018
16 day repeat cycle Sun-synchronous orbit (705 km altitude, inclination
98.2 deg, period 99 minutes)
MSS
Swath 185 km
4 bands (green, red, 2 near IR)
80 m resolution
0 ≤ DN (Digital Number) ≤ 128
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
LANDSAT 8
Launch - February 11, 2013
Combined with Landsat 7 gives 8 day coverage.
OLI 7,000 pixel, 9 band pushbroom, 30 m resolution
Silicon Pin detectors, bands 1 - 4, & 8
MerCdTe detectors, bands 6,7, & 9
13,000 pixel, pan pushbroom, 15 m resolution
ITRS - Thermal IR, 10.6-11.2 & 11.5 - 12.5 m, 100 m res.
NET = 0.4 deg K. Gallium Arsenide detectors
http://tinyurl.com/awzxj6m
http://ldcm.nasa.gov/
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
LANDSAT 8 - continued
OLI sensor bands
(Pushbroom Scanner)
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
LANDSAT MSS & Landsat 7 ETM+ Data
Availability:
EROS Data Center
Mundt Federal Building
Sioux Falls SD 57198
telephone - 605-594-6511
Digital Data
MSS full scene $200-$375 (1972-1992)
Landsat 4-5, $425-$625 (1982-present)
Landsat 7 ETM $475-$800 (1999-present)
Global visualization viewer http://glovis.usgs.gov/
http://eros.usgs.gov/remote-sensing
http://eros.usgs.gov/satellite-imagery
http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ Use this tool to find images
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
LANDSAT continued
Thematic Mapper
185 x 170 km
7 bands (blue, green, red, near IR, 2 mid IR, thermal)
30 m resolution
0 ≤ DN (Digital Number) ≤ 255
No on-board tape recorders - instead uses:
TDRSS
Ground Stations
Landsat 7 ETM+ will have previous capabilities plus
15 m resolution - panchromatic
Thermal IR - 60 m resolution
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Terra
Launch Dec. 18, 1999
Part of the Earth Observing System (EOS)
CERES (Clouds and the Earth Radiant Energy System)
A broadband scanning radiometer that measures
emitted and reflected energy.
MODIS-N (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer - Nadir)
36 band Imaging Spectrometer Thermal IR
1 km resolution, Vegetation and Land surface - 250 m to 1 km.
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Terra concluded
MISR (Multi-Angle Imaging Spectro-Radiometer)
Push broom CCD 9 view angles, 4-band.
Study bidirectional characteristics of the atmosphere,
vegetation canopies and phytoplankton pigment concentrations.
ASTER (Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection
Radiometer)
Japanese 3-band (visible, mid IR, thermal IR) high resolution
imager (15 to 90 m) along track stereo for topography.
MOPITT (Measurement of Pollution in the Troposphere)
3 band scanner. Gas correlation radiometer to measure CO2 and
CH4 vertical profiles in the atmosphere.
http://modis.gsfc.nasa.gov/data/
http://edcimswww.cr.usgs.gov/pub/imswelcome/ David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Aquarius
Global sea surface salinity (seawater emissivity)
Launch - June 10, 2011 (lost power June 8, 2015)
Altitude 600 km
Repeat cycle - 8 days, sun synchronous
Radiometer/Scatterometer operating at 1.4 GHz (L-band)
Partnership between NASA and Argentina.
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Aqua
Launch: May 4, 2002
Altitude 705 km, 98.2 deg Inclination, period 99 minutes
Sun Synchronous, repeat 16 days.
MODIS: Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer
AMSR-E: Advanced Microwave Scanning Radiometer-JAXA
6.9, 10.7, 18.7, 23.8, 36.5, 89.0 Ghz
AMSU-A: Advanced Microwave Sounding Unit-A
CERES: Cloud's and the Earth's Radiant Energy System
AIRS: Atmospheric Infrared Sounder
HSB: Humidity Sounder for Brazil
http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=2421
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Aura
Launch: July 15, 2004 Sun Synchronous
HIRDLS Measures Ozone, Water vapor, methane, and many
chemicals - stopped working 2008
OMI measured Nitrous Oxide, Sulfur Dioxide, aerosols and other
chemicals. Similar to TOMS
TES Fourier Transform spectrometer, Also on the Aqua satellite
Can measure many chemicals including those listed for HIRDLS and
OMI.
MLS measures temperature and water vapor profiles and OH, HO2
and BRO.
http://aura.gsfc.nasa.gov/scinst/index.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
EO-1 NASA Satellite
TRW built Hyperion hyperspectral imager - launched Nov 21, 2000
mission completed Nov 20, 2001
30 m resolution
220 spectral bands
swath 7.5 km x 180 km
CCD Vis nIR, HgCdTe SWIR
Sales and Distribution by USGS (provided 2600 sets by 2005)
http://eo1.usgs.gov/
Serving as knowledge base for several other efforts: ARTEMIS (USAF),
CHRIS (ESA), HERO (Canada), SPECTRA (ESA), EnMAP (German)
http://eo1.gsfc.nasa.gov/new/validationReport/Technology/TRW_EO1%20Papers_Presentations/02.pdf
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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OCO Orbiting Carbon Observatory
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The $278 million dollar satellite failed on launch - Feb 24, 2009
OCO-2 Orbiting Carbon Observatory -2
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Successful launch July 2, 2014
– Measures Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF)
– Measured Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere
– http://oco2.jpl.nasa.gov/
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NASA's Glory Earth Observation Satellite launch – March 4,
2011 – resulted in failure
– Monitoring aerosols in the atmosphere
– Monitoring solar irradiance
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
SMAP Soil Moisture Active Passive Mission
Successful launch January 31, 2015
Measures soil moisture in the top 5 cm
Resolution 9 km, repeat coverage every 2-3 days
Failed Sept 2, 2015
http://www.nasa.gov/smap
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) Satellite
Under development, Launch scheduled – 2020
Uses Ka band radar to map areal extent and topography
http://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/
SWOT (Surface Water and Ocean Topography) Aircraft Program
Ka band radar on a King Air Aircraft based at Armstrong Flight Research Facility in
California
http://swot.jpl.nasa.gov/airswot/
Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (IFSAR) is a technique to
determine surface elevation using 2 or more SAR scenes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interferometric_synthetic_aperture_radar
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
France
Spot-4 launched March 23, 1998 (Spot-2 retired July 30, 2009)
Spot-5 launched May 4, 2002
http://eoedu.belspo.be/en/satellites/spot.htm
Sun synchronous orbit
repeat cycle - each 26 days
Cross track point of 60 km swath gives 2.5 day coverage
3-bands (green, red, near IR)
20 m resolution
1-band (combined)
10 m resolution 60 x 60 km scene
Full multispectral scene or full B & W $1,200.00
Rectified multispectral scene $11,475.00
Source - Spot Image Corp. Washington D. C.
1897 Preston White Drive
Reston VA 22091-4368
Telephone
703-620-2200 http://www.spot.com
Spot-6 & 7 launch 2012-2014
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
India
Bhaskara 1 launched June 7, 1979
Bhaskara 2 launched Nov. 20, 1981
IRS-1A series began in March 1988 - not in use
IRS P- 3 Launched March 21, 1996
IRS-1D Launched Sept. 29, 1997
140,000 scenes of India obtained
Ground stations at Bangalore and Hyderabad
4 bands - (G, R, nIR, SWIR) resolution - 23.5 m
70.5 m resolution inSWIR band (IRS-1C,D is 5.8 m)
Swath width - 145 km (has a wide FOV mode like AVHRR)
Repeat cycle - 22 days, Sun Synchronous
Cross Track Stereo
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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India
launch Risat-2 on April 20, 2009
– TecSAR imaging radar built by Israel
– X-band, 550 km orbit, 41 deg inclination
– Military as well as civilian Earth Observations
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ResourceSat-1 (IRS-P6)
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Sun synchronous orbit
Steerable 26 degrees across track
3 bands Visible & near IR, 5.8 m, 23.5 m resolution
AWiFS has 56 meter resolution
ResourceSat-3 launch 2011
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
India
Cartosat - 1 Stereo .8 m resolution B & W cameras.
Launched May, 5, 2005 Sun-synchronous orbit
Cartosat - 2 Similar spacecraft, launched Jan. 10, 2007
Cartosat - 2a Military version with a SAR, launched Jan. 10, 2007
IMS - 1 Low cost remote sensing satellite to share with poor countries
IRS Satellite Data
Availability http://www.geoeye.com/products/services/default.htm
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
India concluded
IRS Satellite Data
Media
- CD ROM
Format - tiff, bsq
North American Coverage
23 x 23 km scene
$900.00
–5m IRS-1C/1D (B&W) (2653 sq km, about 51 x 51 km)
–$7.00 /sqkm $18,571.00 USD plus shipping ($35)
–29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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http://www.geoeye.com/products/default.htm
http://www.geoeye.com/whitepapers_pdfs/GeoEye_IKONOS_Product_Guide_v17.pdf
• http://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/ikonos.html
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High Resolution (launch Sept. 24, 1999)
– 0.8 m resolution IKONOS, (Panchromatic) $7.00 /sqkm
1 m IKONOS (B&W / 4 band, 3.2 meter) (2653 sq km)
29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283
$18,571.00 USD plus shipping ($35)
• http://www.satimagingcorp.com/satellite-sensors/geoeye-1.html
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Geoeye-1 spacecraft launch was launched Sept 6, 2008.
– 0.41 m resolution panchromatic, they combined the 1.64m color and
the panchromatic to give 0.41 m color imagery.
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Geoeye-2 spacecraft
Renamed WorldView-4
Launch expected in 2016
Resolution 30 cm in panchromatic mode
Resolution (multispectral) 1.2 m
Repeat cycle 3 days
15 revolutions per day
10 am local solar time at the equator
Dynamic range 11 bits
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Orbview-3
– 4m Multispectral (8 bands) $7/sq km, (2653 sq km)
– $18,571.00 USD plus shipping ($35)
– 29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283
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Orbview-3
– 1 m Panchromatic $5/sq km, (2653 sq km)
– $13,265.00 USD plus shipping ($35)
– 29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Canada
Radarsat
C-band SAR - November 4, 1995
100 km swaths, 9 m resolution, HH polarization,
16 day repeat cycle
Radarsat - 2 launched Dec 14, 2007 from Baikonur
Availability -
EOSAT (Earth Observations Satellite Co.)
4300 Forbes Boulevard
Lanham, Maryland 20706 USA
800 - 344- 9933 ext 537
301-552-3762
Cost $1,250.00 to $2120.00 U. S. per scene on CDROM
http://www.spaceimaging.com/products/radarsat/index.htm
http://radarsat.space.gc.ca/
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
United Kingdom & Spain
UK-DMC2 Multispectral Satellite
Launched July 29, 2009
22 m resolution, 660 km
swath, Daily coverage, Sun
Synchronous
3 bands, similar to Landsat
2,3, 4, wide field of view
Part of the Disaster
Monitoring Constellation of 6
satellites
Image is of Texas
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Japanese Remote Sensing Satellites
MOS - Marine Oceanographic Satellite
MOS - 1 Launched Feb 1987
MOS - 1B
Launch scheduled 1990
17 day repeat Sun Synchronous Satellite
MSS copy
Direct Downlink
JERS - 1
Launched Feb. 1992, Failed Oct. 12, 1998
TM copy (without the thermal band)
L-band SAR (HH polarization) - 75 km swath, 18 m resolution
Direct Downlink, repeat cycle - 44 days
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Japanese Remote Sensing Satellites concluded
ADEOS-1
Launched Aug. 17, 1996 into 98.6 deg orbit, failed June 30, 1997
Orbital period 101.2 min, repeat cycle 41 days
AVNIR - Advanced visible & NIR Radiometer
4 bands
16 meter resolution - multispectral
8 meter resolution - panchromatic, Cross track stereo
OCTS - Ocean Color and Temp Scanner
ADEOS-2
Has OCTS, AVNIR & several gas spectrometers
Launch - Dec. 14, 2002, Solar panel failed October 26, 2003
Data Available thru JAXA
GOSAT (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite) – launch 2009
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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ALOS JAXA - Advanced Land Observing Satellite
2 systems (Atmosphere and Marine, Land observations)
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Launch Jan 24, 2006, Sunsynchronous (98.16 deg), repeat cycle 46
days
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PALSAR (follow on to JERS-1) L-band, 250 to 350 km swath, HH
and VV and Cross Polarization
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AVNIR-2 nadir view, 10 m resolution, 4 band (RGB & nIR), 70 km
swath, pointing 44 degrees left or right of nadir
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PRISM points fore and aft to give stereo 2.5 m resolution
70 km swath, 35 km swath stereo Panchromatic 0.52 - .077 m
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Russia
MIR
KFA System - 5 m resolution film based system
$1600.00 per scene
Recoverable film packages each 4 weeks
Operational 1986 - 2001
Spin - 2
Dates of Operation 1980-1998
Panchromatic KVR-1000, 40 x 160 km scene, 2 m res.
Panchromatic TK-350, 200 x 300 km scene, 10 m res.
Browse Site - http://www.TerraServer.com
Format tiff or hard copy prints
Cost
10 m res. - $1.00 / km sq
2 m res. - $2.59 / km sq, min order 100 sq. km
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Russia
Resurs-01-4 Launched July 10, 1998
Multispectral Earth Resources Image Transmission Spacecraft
(similar to Landsat)
Launched Nov. 4, 1994 into a 660 km polar sunsynchronous
orbit at 98 deg incl.,repeat cycle 4 days at the equator.
Resolution - 170 m, fov = 600 km, 4 bands,
intermediate resolution between Landsat and AVHRR
Resurs FM-2 Launched Sept. 28, 1999
Resurs DK-1
Launched June 15, 2006
Resolution - 3.3 ft grey scale imagery, 7 ft multispectral
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Russia
KANOPUS
– Launch - Dec 2009
– 2.1 m panchromatic resolution
– 10.5 m multispectral resolution
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Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) in the UK is providing avionics
and software plus design support.
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
European Space Agency
SMOS Soil Moisture & Ocean Salinity - launch Nov 2, 2009
ERS-1 Launch May 1991
ERS-2 Launch 1995
C-band SAR
VV polarization, 25 m resolution
3.1 x 3.1 mile imagettes
35 day repeat cycle
80 km swath
4 band Thermal IR instrument
3 Angle Scatterometer for sea surface roughness
Cost $1,250.00 to $2120.00 U. S. per scene on CDROM
Source - EOSAT
http://www.spaceimaging.com/products/imagery.htm
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
European Space Agency
ENVISAT - Launched March 1, 2002
Lost communications April 8, 2012
ASAR - C band Radar like ERS-1 & 2, swath 400 km
GOMOS - Stellar Occultation - Atmosphere Constituents
0.47 - 0.52 µm and 0.926 - 0.952 µm
MIPAS - Limb emission spectra using Interferometer
(4.15 - 14.6 µ m)
MERIS - Vis - nIR coastal zone imager, 300 m res,
1150 km swath, 15 bands
http://envisat.estec.esa.nl/
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
ENVISAT (continued)
MWR - Cloud water content for correction of Radar altimeter
(uses 23.8 and 36.5 Ghz)
RA-2 - Radar Altimeter similar to Topex- Poseidon
Uses S and K bands
AATSR - Sea Surface Temp and Vegetation mapper
Scans along track only,
0.67, 0.87, 1.6, 3.7. 10.7, and 12.0 µ m
SCIAMACHY - Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometer
for Atmospheric Cartography
Maps gasses such as Ozone
0.24 - 2.5 micrometers
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
European Space Agency (continued)
Sentinel 1 - C-band SAR 5 m resolution - launch 2013
Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 12 days
cycle length 175 days
local solar time 1600
Dual Polarization
Sentinel 2A – Multispectral 13 bands – launch June 23, 2015
Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 10 days (5 days using
2 satellites)
local solar time 1030
Sentinel 3 - Ocean color, passive microwave - launch 2016
Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 27 days
local solar time 1000
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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European Space Agency (continued)
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German Space Agency (DLR)
Terra SAR-X
– 1 - 16 m resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar
– X - band Radar
– Launched June 2006
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Tandem-X (almost identical satellite to Terra SAR-X)
– Formed a radar interferometer system (launched in June 2010)
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EnMap - pushbroom hyperspectral scanner
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30 m resolution, swath width 30 km
0.42 to 2.45 m (184 bands, 155 bands visible, 94 band nIR)
Launch 2018
Sun synchronous polar orbit, revisit cycle 4 days
David E. Pitts
30 degrees off nadir
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
European Space Agency (concluded)
• Sentinel 3 launch expected 2014
• Earthcare Satellite
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Cloud and aerosol mission
Atmospheric Lidar
Broad band radiometer
Mutispectral Imager
JAXA Cloud profiling radar
Launch 2013
• Cryosat -2 launched Apr 8, 2010
– SAR/Interferometric Radar Altimeter (Siral) detects ice
thickness in the arctic and antarctic
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
• Rapid Eye
• German 5 satellite constellation
– Launch August 28, 2008 from Baikonur
– 6.5 meter resolution, 77 km swath, 5.5 day repeat
– 5 bands, sun synchronous
Blue (440-510 nm)
Green (520-590 nm)
Red (630-685 nm)
Red Edge (690-730 nm)
Near Infrared (760-850 nm)
http://tinyurl.com/8kq9lo9
Minimum order 2,500 euros
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Italy
COSMO-Sky-Med
– Dual Use (Defense and Civil)
– X-band
– Radar 1 & 3 meter resolution
– Launch Vandenberg AFB on Delta
– Launches
• June 7, 2007, Dec 8 2007, Oct 24 2008, & Oct 29, 2010
– http://www.telespazio.it/cosmo.html
• Franco-Italian
• Pleiades
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.7 m resolution Earth Observation Satellite
20 km swath, 26 day repeat cycle, launch Soyuz, French Guiana
Visible and near IR
Launches: HR1A Dec 17,2011, HR 1B Dec 2, 2012David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Spain
Ingenio (SEOSAT)
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2.5 m panchromatic resolution
10 meter Multispectral
2012 launch
Radar imager to follow
U. K.
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2.5 m resolution
Launched Oct 27, 2005
Build under the British National Space Centre Mosaic Program
Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL), QinetIQ, Rutherford Appleton
Laboratory
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
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Turkey
GÖKTÜRK-2 Earth Observations Satellite
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Launch by China on Dec 18, 2012, 98 deg inclination orbit, 700 km
Pushbroom imager, 20 km swath
Repeat cycle: 2 to 5 days
Resolution: 2.5 m panchromatic, 10 m, 5 bands: B,G,R,Near IR, SWIR
Nigeria Sat-2
– Resolution: 32m, 300 km swath, multispectral 5m, 20 km swath
– Launched Aug 17, 2011, built by British SSTL
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Nigeria Sat-X
– Resolution: 22m, 600 km swath
– Launched Aug 17, 2011, built by British SSTL
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Orbital Imaging Corp.
OrbView - 1 launched April 3, 1995
OrbView - 2 launched Aug. 1, 1997
Panchromatic, 1 m resolution
Multispectral, 4 m resolution
Pointable ± 45 degrees, Sun Synchronous
repeat coverage on the ground of <3 days.
OrbView - 3 launched June 26, 2003
Orb View - 4 launch Sept. 2001 - launch failed to reach orbit
Hyperspectral 280 channels, swath 5 km, 4m resolution
http://www.geoeye.com/products/default.htm
http://www.itc.nl/research/products/sensordb/Launch_Schedule.aspx
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Earthwatch Inc. (merged with Ball Aerospace in 1995)
Early Bird launch - Dec. 24, 1997 (failed after 4 days)
Quick Bird - 1 launch - launch failure
4 bands
B, G, R, NIR,
66 deg orbit, revisit 1-5 days
resolution - 4 m multispectral, 1 m panchromatic
704 km swath, scene 22 x 22 km
Russian launch vehicle
Quickbird - 2 launched - Oct. 18, 2001
http://www.digitalglobe.com/
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
ImageSat International
Joint venture by Israel Aircraft Industries &
Core Software Technology
receiving station on Cyprus
EROS-A1 Satellite
Launch - Dec. 5, 2000
Pan 0.5 - 0.9 µ m - 1.8 m resolution pointable sensor
15 day repeat
10 bit imagery, swath = 14 km (9666 pixels)
http://www.csir.co.za/plsql/ptl0002/PTL0002_PGE005_DIVISIONS?DIVISION_NO=7209624
EROS-B1 Satellite
Launch - pending
15 day repeat ( 3 days with pointing)
1 m resolution - 20 km swath (20,000 pixels)
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
China-Brazil
Haiyung 1 - launched May 15, 2002
9 Bands
5 bands - 20 m res., 3 bands 80 m res., 1 band - 160 m res.
Cross Track Stereo
900 km wide swath
26 day repeat Sun Synchronous orbit
Tsinghua - 1 launched June 28, 2000
CBERS-1 - (4 band 3 m) launched Oct 14, 1999, deactivated 2003
CBERS-2 - (4 band 3 m) launch 2003, deactivated 2007
CBERS 2-B launch Sept 19, 2007, 20 m resolution, 113 km swath,
26 day repeat, 4 bands
CBERS-3 – launch failed
CBERS-4 – early December 2014 launch
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
China
Feng Yun Meteorological satellites
Some are geosynchronous
Some are in low Earth Orbit (LEO) – Sun Synchronous
See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fengyun
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
KH-11
National Imagery and Mapping AgencyPrevious known as the National Reconnaissance Office
Resolution < 0.3 m
not available to the public
Skybox Imaging
Skysat-1 launch 2013, 450 km orbit, Sun Synchronous
Skysat-2 launch March 27, 2014, identical to Skysat-1
http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/skysat-1.htm
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Argentina
SAC-C Launched Nov. 21, 2000
Comision Nacional de Actividades Especiales (CONAE)
SAC-D launched on the NASA Aquarius Satellite June 2011 (on a Delta)
Lost power June 8, 2015
http://www.esr.org/aquarius_sat/aquarius_main.html
Aquarius by NASA
ROSA by Italy
SODAD by CNES (France)
CONAE instruments
Microwave Radiometer (MWR)
Infra-red Camera (NIRST)
High Sensitivity Camera (HSC)
Data Collection System (DCS)
Technological Demonstration Package (TDP)
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Israel
Ofek-5 Remote Sensing Satellite launched 2002
Ofek-6 failed due to 3rd stage malfunction Sept. 7, 2004
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Korea
Kompsat-2 - Launched July 28, 2006
1 meter resolution, operational July 2007
Kompsat-3 - Launch May 17, 2012 by JAXA
resolution: 0.7 m Pan, 2.8 m B,G,R, near IR
Kompsat-5 - Launch Aug 13, 2013 x-band radar
1 m resolution, similar to Germany’s SAR-x
900 km wide swath
26 day repeat Sun Synchronous orbit
Taiwan
Formosat-2 Launch May 19, 2004
2 meter resolution
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
•
Google Earth
– Probably uses Geoeye-1 images (color at .4 m)
– $400 image processing software allows detail analysis
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Topex/Poseidon
(Joint USA/French)
Launched Aug. 10, 1992 into a 1,336 km orbit at 66 deg. inc.
Repeat coverage - each 10 days.
Jason - launched Dec. 7, 2001, similar to Topex/Poseidon
Jason measures ocean height with 4.2 cm accuracy for
Monitoring El Nino and Ocean eddies.
Jason - 2 launch June 15, 2008.
Jason – 3 launch Jan. 17, 2016
LRA: Laser retroreflector array
Poseidon-2: A solid state radar altimeter
JMR: Microwave radiometer
http://topex-www.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/jason-1.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
TOMS-1
launched 1978 on Nimbus 7 to measure stratospheric ozone
failed May 1993
TOMS-2
launched on Russian Meteor 3 on Aug 1991
Chopper motor failed Dec. 23, 1994
TOMS-4 (on ADEOS)
Launched Aug. 17, 1996 into 98.6 deg orbit, failed June 30, 1997
Earth Probe
Launched July 2, 1996 - currently in operation
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
TOMS Concluded
Solar UV Backscatter in 1 nm bands at 309, 313, 318, 322, 331, and 360 nm
Scans 51 degrees either side of nadir (3000 km wide swath)
Resolution 50 km, 11:30 am local time sun synchronous, Altitude 955 km
Sulfur Dioxide from volcanic eruptions is detectable in these bands.'
Coverage goes back to Nimbus 7 in October 1978.
QuickTOMS - launch in Sept. 2001 failed to reach orbit.
TOMS-5
Launch on Russian Meteor 3 - 2001
http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/aerosols/aerosols_v8.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
SEAWIFS
Designed as a follow up to the highly successful
Coast Zone Color Scanner (CZCS).
Launched - August 1, 1997
2-day global coverage via GAC (Global Area Coverage) format
LAC (Local Area Coverage) format requests are possible
Resolution 1.1 km LAC and 4.4 km GAC at nadir
For data availability contact
http://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/scripts/SEAWIFS.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
SEAWIFS concluded
Eight Bands
402-422nm ctr 412
433-453, ctr 443
500-520, ctr 510
545-565, ctr 555
745-785 ctr 765
845-885, ctr 865
Radiometric accuracy, 5% each band
480-500, ctr 490
660-680, ctr 670
10 bit data
Altitude 705 km, swath width, 2800 km (+ or - 58.3 degrees)
equatorial crossing time noon ± 15 min; descending
Design lifetime - 5 yrs
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
International Space Station (ISS)
HREP/RAIDS transferred to ISS Sept 11, 2009
To continue to 2013
Missions |19/20 |21/22 |23/24 |25/26 |27/28 |29/30 |31/32 |33/34|
HREP consists of HICO (Hyperspectral Imager for Coastal Ocean)
Naval Research Laboratory
0.38 - 1.0 m (0.01 m bands), 7.6 deg fov
In WORF (Window Observational Research Facility) on ISS
Data archived at NRL Stennis Space Center
water clarity
bottom types
bathymetry
on-shore vegetation maps
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/HREP-HICO.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
GRACE (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment)
Twin satellites launched March 2002
Making detailed measurements of the Earth's gravity field
Twin GRACE satellites fly in formation one behind the other. A satellite
speeds up when it experiences a stronger gravitational field.
This has enabled the detection of shifting ocean currents, desiccation
of droughts, draining of lakes, shrinking of ice sheets, and reduction
of ground water in Northern Indian.
http://www.csr.utexas.edu/grace/
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
NOAA AVHRR
NOAA Polar Orbiter and DMSP Programs merged in 1995,
became NPOESS (National Polar-Orbiting Operational Env. Sat. Systems)
NOAA satellite (with AVHRR) series started with TIROS - N in 1978
NOAA-15 launched May 13, 1998
NOAA-16 launched Sept. 21, 2000 (10:17 am equatorial crossing)
NOAA-17 launched June 4, 2002 ( 2:05 pm equatorial crossing)
NOAA - 18 May 20, 2005
NOAA - 19 Feb 6, 2009
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
NPOESS-1 scheduled January 2013 launch but was cancelled.
The Suomi National Polar-Orbting Partnership (SNPP) satellite was
launched in 2011
Instruments: VIIRS (.56 km AVHRR sensor), CrIS (temperature
sounder), ATMS (microwave sounder), OMPS (ozone), CERES (effect
of clouds on radiation budget)
The Free Flyer 1 and 2 spacecraft will carry radar imagers - launch 2017
JPSS-1 - launch expected in 2019
• http://www.jpss.noaa.gov/program.html
• This will give a polar orbiting capability gap of (2016 or 2018) to 2019
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
NOAA AVHRR
sun synchronous
Daily coverage
2600 km swath
Nadir resolution is 1.1 km (LAC)
Archived global area coverage (GAC) - 4 km resolution
0.58 - .69 µm
0.725 - 1.1 µm
3.55 - 3.93 µm
10.3 - 11.3 µm
11.5 - 12.5 µm
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
DMSP
Two sun synchronous satellites used (6:30 am and 9:00 am)
Bands 0.4 to 1.1 mm, 10.5 - 12.5 mm
Resolution either 0.55 km (Regional Coverage)
2.7 km (global coverage) 3000 km swath width
Block 5D-2 (F12 , F13, F14, F15) & 5D-3 (F16)
DMSP - F15 launched Dec. 12, 1999.
DMSP - F16 launched Oct. 18, 2003 (7:54 am equator crossing)
DMSP - F17 launched Nov 4, 2007
DMSP - F19 Oct 18, 2009
DMSP - F-20 Oct 2011
Microwave Imager
19, 22, 37 and 85 GHz
1400 km swath width
available thru the NOAA/NGDC (National Geophy. Data Center)
http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/dmsp.html
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
U. S. - GOES system resolution in the visible of 1 km and 8 km
in the infrared at 30 minute intervals.
GOES 10 launched April 25, 1997 (135 deg W)
Visible Channel (.55 - .72 µm) 0.78 x 0.78 km 6 bits
IR Channel
7 x 7 km
10 bits
GOES 9 launched May 23, 1995
Sounding & Imaging capability over the entire hemisphere
Each 15 minutes , located 75 deg W
19 channels provide Temperature and Moisture profiles
GOES - 11 - L Launched May 3, 2000
GOES - 12 - M launched July 23, 2001 (GOES East, 75 deg W)
GOES - 13 - N launched May 24, 2006
GOES - 14 - launched June 27, 2009
GOES - 15 - launched March 4, 2010
GOES - R - 2015
GOES - S - ?
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)
Joint NASA and JAXA satellite
Monitors Tropical Rainfall
Launched 1997
35 degree inclination - complicated repeat pattern
Not sun synchronous
Follow on to TRMM, the GPM was launched Feb 28, 2014
Precipitation Radar (PR) (wavelength 2.17 cm, 13.8 GHz)
Images each grid each 3rd day
Microwave Imager (TMI) (10, 19, 22, 37, and 85 GHz)
Images every grid each day (different local time)
Visible and Infrared Scanner (VIRS) (0.63, 1.6, 3.75, 10.8 & 12.0 m)
Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES)
Images every grid twice per day
Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS)
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Meteosat (Eumetsat)
Geosynchronous system
Full hemisphere image each 30 minutes
Meteosat 1 - 1975
Meteosat 2 - 1981
Meteosat 3 - 1987 (50 degrees west, being used by the U. S.)
Meteosat 4 - backup for Meteosat 5
Meteosat 5 - reactivated & moved to 63 degrees East (Saudi & India)
Meteosat 6 - in stand by mode at 9 deg W
Meteosat 7 - launched Sept. 9, 1997, Indian Ocean
MSG-1 - launched Aug. 28, 2002, 3.4 deg W
MSG-2 - launched Dec 21, 2005 (Eumetsat, Metop)
MSG-3 - launch expected June 19, 2012
METOP-A - Launched Oct 19, 2006 from Baikonur
METOP-B - 2010
David E. Pitts
http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=6114.135
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
India
Metsat 1 launched Sept 12, 2002
Renamed Kalpana-1 in honor
of the Columbia astronaut.
Japan
Himawari 5 - launched March 18, 1995
Geosynchronous satellite
MTSat-1R- Feb 24, 2005
MTSat-2 Feb 18, 2006
http://www.cira.colostate.edu/cira/RAMM//hillger/geo-wx.htm
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
Russia
Meteor 3M-N1 - launched Dec. 10, 2001
Meteor 3M-N2 - launched Dec 2004
Polar orbiting Metsat similar to the US NOAA series.
GOMS-N1- Geosynchronous Meteorological Satelite
Launched Oct. 31, 1994, Locate at 76o 50 ' E
GOMS-N2 - Launched Dec 2005
visible 0.46 - 0.7 µ m
IR
10.5 - 12.5 µ m
IR 6.7 - 7.0 µ m on GOMS-2
http://sputnik.infospace.ru
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
China
FY-2B Feng Yun geostationary met satellite - June 26, 2000
FY-2C - 2004
FY-2D - 2006
FY-2E - 2009
FY-1D Polar Orbiter May 15, 2002
FSW-3 5 A recoverable imaging satellite - March 2005
David E. Pitts
Earth Observations Satellite Sensors
An Overview
•
Orbital debris
– 19,000 objects > 10 cm
– 150,000 objects > 1 cm
– China's antisatellite test Jan 11, 2007 was the worst debris creating
event.
David E. Pitts