Satellites extract information from energy interacting with the Earth’s surface. Image from USGS Spectral Capabilities, Resolution, and Frequency The Landsat 5 satellite, in orbit from 1984 to 2013. Commonly-used satellites are both from commercial to government-sponsored and include WorldView, QuickBird, IKONOS, Landsat, MODIS, AVHRR, TRMM, and many others sponsored by many different companies and nations. Over 2,200 satellites orbit Earth today, and the space landscape is rapidly changing. These observations are applied to meteorological forecasting, environmental monitoring, disaster monitoring, and cartographic purposes. Satellite instruments became equipped to measure vegetation coverage, sea-ice fluctuation, sea level and sea surface temperatures, concentrations of atmospheric gases, and many others. The new law embraced the value of remote sensing technology, promoted research and public sector applications, and allowed commercial companies to launch satellites and sell imagery.Īs a result, Earth observation satellites specifically intended for non-military applications were designed for long-term global observations of the land surface, oceans, biosphere, and atmosphere. This led to the passing of the Land Remote Sensing Policy Act of 1992.
Imagery was commercialized in 1984, but faced many funding issues.
Instead, they were mainly used for military missions. The planet is continually being observed and imaged by satellites.īefore 1972, satellites weren’t designed to study or monitor Earth’s surface. Imaging the Earth from space: history, technology and terminology of satellite-based remote sensing.
0 kommentar(er)
