Unit : 2

PLATFORMS AND SENSORS

• Types of platforms
• Orbit types-sun synchronous and geosynchronous
• Types of sensors- passive and active sensors
• Resolution concept – spatial, spectral, radiometric, and temporal
• Introduction to satellites
 REMOTE SENSING
PLATFORMS
Types of platforms
➢ Ground based platforms
Short range systems (50-100 m)
Medium Range Systems ( 150-250 m)
Long range Systems (up to 1 km)

➢ Airborne platforms
➢ Space-borne platforms
 REMOTE SENSING
PLATFORMS
Types of platforms :
Ground Based Platforms:
Mobile hydraulic platforms (up to 15 m height)
 REMOTE SENSING
PLATFORMS
Types of platforms :
Portable Masts
• Unstable in wind conditions
 REMOTE SENSING
PLATFORMS
Types of platforms :
Towers:
• Greater rigidity than masts
 REMOTE SENSING
PLATFORMS
Types of platforms :
Weather Surveillance Radar
• Detects and tracks
typhoons and cloud
masses
 REMOTE SENSING PLATFORMS

Airborne Platforms:
Balloons based:

• Altitude range is 22-40 km.

• Tool for probing the atmosphere

• Useful to test the instruments under

development.
Airborne Platforms
Radiosonde:

Measure Temperature, pressure, and

Relative humidity in the atmosphere

Rawinsonde:
A radiosonde whose position is
tracked as it ascends to give wind
speed and direction information is
called a rawinsonde ("radar wind -
sonde").

A radiosonde that is dropped from an airplane and falls, rather than

being carried by a balloon is called a dropsonde.
 REMOTE SENSING PLATFORMS

Advantages of Using Aircraft

• High spatial resolution (20 cm or
less)
• Analog photography is possible
(analog photo gives high resolution)

• Easily change their schedule to

avoid weather problems

• Sensor maintenance and

repair is easy
Disadvantages of Using Aircraft

• Permission to intrude into foreign airspace is required

• Many passes to cover larger area

• Swath is much less compared to satellite

• High cost per unit area

 Space borne platforms

• Sensors are mounted on-board a

spacecraft
• Rockets, satellites and space
shuttles

Advantages :
• Cover large area
• Repetitive coverage of an area of
interest
 PLATFORM
CHARACTERISTICS
 USUAL PLATFORMS
• Aircraft
– Helicopters
– Microlites
– Low altitude aircrafts
– High altitude aircrafts
• Satellites
– Orbiting satellites
– Geostationary satellites
Aircraft
• Defense permission needed
• Imagery can be obtained at the time and
place of our choice
• Expensive
• Usually used for cameras
• Platform less stable
• Narrow view
• Large scales (1:1000 to 1:30000)
• Flexible repeat coverage
• High spatial resolution
• Satellite
– Global coverage
– No fuel needed (for 3 years operation)
– Defense permission not needed
– Usually used for scanners and radars which transmit
information in electronic format
– Wide, synoptic view
– Very stable platform
– Limited repeat coverage(3 to 26 days)
– Low spatial resolution
– Highly cost effective
SATELLITE:
Satellite is any object man made or natural that
revolves around the earth
ORBIT
The path followed by a satellite
TYPES OF ORBITS:
Low Earth Orbit (LEO) < 2000 km
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) 2000-35786 km
High Earth Orbit (HEO) > 35786 km

https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Videos/2019/02/Distribut
ion_of_space_debris_in_orbit_around_Earth
Polar orbiting satellites:
• Satellite passes above the earth poles
• High resolution of images is possible
• Crosses the equator at 90⁰
• Altitudes are in the range 400-1000 km

The advantage is every time the satellite

view the newer segment on the earth surface
because of earth’s rotation
Advantages of Polar orbiting satellites
•Almost complete global coverage, as the Earth rotates on its axis under the orbit.

•Unlike geostationary spacecraft, near-polar orbiters can provide images of the poles and high
latitude regions.

•Good surface resolution, since the spacecraft are at low altitudes, they can provide
considerable surface detail (for example, SPOT can image to 10-meter resolution).

•Orbits can be carefully chosen to ensure that variations of solar illumination angle are
compensated for (sun-synchronous orbits).

Disadvantages
•The repeat cycle of the orbit can be long, so monitoring of very short time-scale events is not
possible.

•Data can only be received when the satellite is above the horizon of the receiving station and
this is only for a short time, so images from other regions must be obtained via a network of
receiving stations or stored on-board.
 Geosynchronous orbit
A geosynchronous orbit (sometimes abbreviated GSO) is an Earth-
centered orbit with an orbital period that matches Earth's rotation on
its axis, 23 hours, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds.

For an observer on Earth's surface, an object in geosynchronous

orbit returns to the exact same position in the sky after a period of one
sidereal day.
 GEOSTATIONARY ORBITS
▪ Geosynchronous satellites can have any inclination

▪ Geostationary orbit lies on the same plane as the equator

▪ Altitude is approximately 35,786 kilometers

▪ Revolve at speeds which match the rotation of the Earth so that they seem
stationary, relative to the Earth's surface
▪ This allows the satellites to observe and collect
information continuously over specific areas

Application:
Communications satellites
Weather satellites
Navigation satellites
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit
 Medium Earth orbit
• Altitude between 2,000 km (1,243 mi) and 35,786 km
(22,236 mi) above sea level
• The boundary between MEO and LEO is an arbitrary
altitude chosen by accepted convention
• The boundary between MEO and HEO is the altitude
of a geosynchronous orbit
• Used by the Global Positioning System
(GPS) constellation
INCLINATION ANGLE
 Sun Synchronous Orbit
The satellite passes over any given point of the planet's surface at the same
local mean solar time.
Passing the city of Paris every day at noon exactly.

More technically, it is an orbit arranged so

that it processes through one complete
revolution each year

There are 365 days in a year and 360 degrees

in a circle, it means that the satellite has to
shift its orbit by approximately one degree per
day

These satellites orbit at an altitude between

700 to 800 km

A Sun-synchronous orbit is useful

for imaging, reconnaissance satellite,
and weather satellites

Mostly used for remote sensing

 ORBITS OF REMOTE SENSING

Sun Synchronous Orbit

 ORBITS OF REMOTE
SENSING
High Earth Orbit
Geo stationary orbit
The satellite placed in this orbit is
stationary with respect to the earth
View the same area of the earth at
all times
View 50% of global surface (60⁰N
to 60⁰S)
Orbital period is 24 hours
 ORBITS OF REMOTE
SENSING
High Earth Orbit
Geosynchronous orbit
Advantages :
• Useful for meteorological
observation
• And also for commercial
broadcast and communication
purpose
 ORBITS OF REMOTE
SENSING
High Earth Orbit
Geo stationary orbit
Dis-Advantages:
• Low resolution
• Approximately a pixel is
2.5 km on ground
• Less information is obtained
 ORBITS OF REMOTE
SENSING
Choice of orbit:
• It is dependent on its mission
• Remote sensing satellites placed in LEO because
it needs high resolution
• Commercial broadcast or Communication
satellites are provided in HEO because it should
receive and send signals from large geographical
areas
 ORBITS OF REMOTE SENSING

Shapes of orbits:

Polar

Sun-synchronous

Equatorial
ORBITS OF REMOTE SENSING
 SWATH

• As the satellite revolves around the Earth, the sensor "sees" a

certain portion of the Earth's surface

• The width of the strip imaged is referred to as the

swath width
 REMOTE SENSING SENSORS
Sensor:
• Sensors are sophisticated devices that are frequently used to detect
and respond to electrical or optical signals
• A Sensor converts the Physical parameter into a signal which can be
measured electrically

Definition in Remote Sensing:

• Sensor is a device that gathers energy (EMR) converts into signal

and present it in a form (image) suitable for obtaining
information about the object under investigation
 Types of RS system

Active RS Passive RS
system system

Artificial Energy Natural Energy

source source

e.g.sensors on
e.g., radar systems
satellites
SLAR, SAR Landsat, SPOT
 Sensor Detection
Passive Detection
• Sensors measure levels of energy that are naturally emitted,
reflected, or transmitted by the target object.

• Passive sensors are those which detects naturally occurring

energy. Most often, the source of radioactive energy is the sun.

• Detection of reflected solar energy, for example, can only proceed

when the target is illuminated by the sun, thus limiting visible light
sensors on satellites from being used during a night-time pass.

• The Thematic Mapper, the primary sensor on the Landsat satellites,

is a good example of a passive sensor.
Active detection
• Active Sensors have their own energy source for illumination of the target by directing a
burst of radiation at the target and use sensors to measure how the target interacts with the
energy

• Most often the sensor detects the reflection of the energy, measuring the angle of reflection
or the amount of time it took for the energy to return

• Active sensors provide the capability to obtain measurements anytime, regardless of the time
of day or season

• They can be used for examining energy types that are not sufficiently provided by the sun,
such as microwaves, or to better control the way a target is illuminated. However, active
systems require the generation of a fairly large amount of energy to adequately illuminate
targets

• Doppler radar is an example of an active remote sensing technology

 REMOTE SENSING SENSORS
Active sensors:
These sensors detect reflected responses from objects which are
irradiated from artificially generated energy sources
Ex : Radar, camera with flashlight

Passive sensors:
These sensors detect reflected EMR from natural source

Ex : camera without flashlight (depends on solar energy), and all RS

sensors
• IMAGING SENSORS

– Sensors which provide output to create an image

– e.g., Linear Imaging and Self Scanning (LISS) Sensor

• NON-IMAGING SENSORS

• Sensors which provide numerical output with

respect to the quantum of radiation

• e.g., Radiometer, Scatterometer etc.

IRS-1C Sensors overview

Panchromatic camera IRS 1C PAN IMAGE OF VIZAG STEEL PLANT, 1996

LISS III IRS 1C LISS-III IMAGE OF VIZAG STEEL PLANT, 1996

Wide field sensor

WIFS Image showing parts of Sunderbans in the east coast
of India
 REMOTE SENSING SENSORS

Types of sensors:
Non Scanning or Framing sensors:
Measure the radiation coming from entire scene at once
Ex: Our eyes, Photo cameras
Scanning sensors:

The scene is sensed point by point or measure the radiation

coming from point by point (equivalent to small areas with in
the scene)

Push broom scanner, (along-track scanner) Whisk broom scanner ( across-track scanner)
Rolling Shutter Effect
 REMOTE SENSING SENSORS
Types of sensors:
Non imaging sensors:
• These sensors do not form the image
• These are used to record spectral quantity or
parameter as a function of time
Ex: temperature measurement, study of atmosphere
 Resolution of a Sensor

• Spatial resolution – ‘Area’ aspect

• Spectral resolution – ‘Band’ aspect

• Radiometric resolution – ‘Radiance’ aspect

• Temporal resolution – ‘Frequency’ aspect

 RESOLUTION
The measure of smallest angular or linear separation between two objects
Spatial that can be resolved by the sensor. High resolution images make possible
Resolution detection of small objects.
IRS 1C/1D PAN 5.8m, WiFS 188.3m, LISS III 23.5m and 72.5m

Spectral Refers to the band width and the no. of bands used for collecting the data.
Resolution IRS 1C/1D LISS III 4 Bands, LandSat 7 Bands, ETM 8 Bands, SeaSat
CZCS 6 Bands

Refers to the no. of quantization levels into which the radiant flux reflected
Radiometric from the scene elements is recorded. It reflects sensors’ ability to discriminate
Resolution radiance differences.
IRS 1C/1D PAN 6 bits, LISS III 7 bits, LandSat 7 ETM+ 8 bits, SPOT
4&5 bits, MLA 8 bits, AVHRR 10 bits

Temporal Refers to the frequency of collection of data or the time interval between
Resolution repetitive coverage of an area. It is vital for monitoring changes with time.
IRS-1C PAN 5Days, IRS-1D LISS III 24 Days, NOAA 1 day
 Spatial Resolution
• Refers to the size of the smallest possible feature that can
be sensed

IRS 1C/D 5.8m (PAN)

IKONOS 1m (PAN)

RESOURCESAT 5.8m (MULTISPECTRAL)

 SPATIAL RESOLUTION - DISCRIMINABILTY

Ikonos Pan - 1 m Ikonos Colour - 4 m IRS-1C Pan – 5.8 m

SPOT Pan - 10 m SPOT XS - 20 m LANDSAT TM - 30 m

 PIXELS (Picture + elements)

Black - 0 Grey
Pixel White - 255 values
 CHARECTERISTICS OF SENSORS
Spatial resolution
 CHARECTERISTICS OF SENSORS
Spatial resolution
 Spatial
Resolution
LANDSAT
30 m

LISS III
23.5

PAN
5.8 m

IKONOS
1m
Image Resolution

QB PAN – 65 cm
LISS
QB IIIIV––––24
MS
LISS 6m
2.5mm
AWiFS 56 m
 Spectral Resolution
Ability of a sensor to define fine wavelength intervals.
The finer the spectral resolution, the narrower is the wavelength range for a
particular channel or band
 SPECTRAL RESOLUTION
PANCHROMATIC MULTISPECTRAL HYPERSPECTRAL

ONE
TENS

HUNDREDS/THOUSANDS
BANDS

PANCHROMATIC

MULTISPECTRAL

HYPERSPECTRAL
IRS 1C PAN IMAGE OF VIZAG STEEL PLANT, 1996
 Radiometric Resolution

7-bit
0 (0 - 127)

8-bit
0 (0 - 255)

0 9-bit
(0 - 511)

10-bit
0 (0 - 1023)
MULTI –TEMPORAL COVERAGE

1975 1985

1995 2005
Quality of information derived from RS images strongly influenced
by spatial, spectral, radiometric and temporal resolution of the
sensor

• Spatial Resolution – The smallest object that

can be distinguished.
• Spectral Resolution – No. of bands
• Radiometric Resolution – Quantization levels of data
• Temporal Resolution – Periodicity of data collection
 CHARECTERISTICS OF SENSORS
Spatial resolution
 CHARECTERISTICS OF
SENSORS
Temporal resolution
It refers to how often it records imagery of a
particular area, which means the frequency of
repetitive coverage
Land Cover Classification
Land Cover Change Detection
Flood Monitoring
Urban Monitoring and Development
Measurement of Sea Surface
Temperature
Deforestation
Global Monitoring
INDIAN REMOTE SENSING
SATELLITES
 Introduction
Satellite: an object which has been placed into orbit by
human endeavour. Also known as artificial satellite

Remote sensing: the acquisition of information about an

object or phenomenon, without making physical contact with
the object.

Indian Remote Sensing satellites (IRS) are a series of Earth

Observation satellites, built, launched and maintained by
Indian Space Research Organization
 Principal components of satellite

Transponder and antenna system

Power Package
Control and information system
Rocket thruster system
INDIAN IMAGING CAPABILITY

•1 Km to 1 m Spatial Resolution
•22 Days to every 30 mts. Repeativity
•1 Million scale to Cadastral Level
 IRS-1A SATELLITE
This is first indigenously built Sun-synchronous polar orbiting satellite.
• Details
Orbit
•
Launch date : March 17, 1988 (Soviet
•
Launcher VOSTAK used) Altitude : 904
•
Kms.
•
Inclination : 99.049 degrees Period :
•
•
103.19266 minutes Repetivity : 22
•
days
•
•
Equatorial crossong time : 10.25 AM descending
Weight : 975 Kg.
Mission completed.
 IRS-1B SATELLITE
•
•
•
IRS-1B
• Satellite

This is similar to IRS-1A satellite in all aspects.

•
• Details
Orbit
•
•
Launch date : August 29, 1991 (Soviet Launcher VOSTAK used) Altitude : 904 Kms.
•
Inclination
• : 99.049 degrees Period : 103.19266 minutes Repetivity : 22 days
•
Equatorial crossong time : 10.25 AM descending
•
Weight : 975 Kg.

Imaging Sensor Characteristics ( LISS-I and LISS-II Cameras)

Mission completed.
 IRS-P1
• IRS-P1 Satellite (Indigenously Launched (P) Series)
• Launch date:20 September 1993

• IRS-P series are being launched by indigenously developed polar

launch vehicle ( PSLV ). Due to failure in last stage of rocket,

satellite and rocket were plunged into sea.

Orbit Details
IRS-P2 Satellite
Launch date : Oct. 15, 1994
•
Altitude : 817 Kms.
•
Repetivity : 24 days
•
Imaging Sensor Characteristics ( LISS-II Camera )
•
• Satellite is having only LISS-II Camera and its parameters are
The
• to that IRS-1A/1B with small modifications in arrangement of
similar
CCDs.

•
Mission completed.
Linear Imaging Self-Scanning Sensor - 2.
Purpose. High-resolution land and vegetation observation
 IRS-1C SATELLITE
Launch date:28 Dec 1995
•
Altitude : 817 Kms.
•
•
Inclination : 99.049 degree
• : 101.35 minutes
Period
•
Repetivity : 24 days (5 days - revisit) Wide-Field Sensor (WiFS) is a
•
No. of Sensors : Three; 1) PAN, large-swath, high-repetivity
camera designed specially for
2)• LISS-III and 3) WiFS vegetation and agricultural
•
Panchromatic Camera (PAN) monitoring applications.

Mission completed.
Orbit Details IRS-P3 SATELLITE
Launch date : March 21, 1996 (Indigenous PSLV-D3
rocket is used)
•
• : 817 km.
Altitude
Inclination : 99.049 degrees
• : minutes
Period
•
Repetivity : days
•
•
Equatorial crossong time : 10.30 AM descending
• Sensors : Two 1) WiFs, 2) MOS
No. of
Wide• Field Sensor (WiFS)

•
Parameters Specifications :Spectral Bands (microns) B3 0.62 - 0.68
Mission completed.
•
The (MOS) is a spaceborne imaging spectrometer for the VIS/NIR-spectral range. It is
designed for remote sensing investigations of the Atmosphere-Ocean-System, especially
coastal zones.
 IRS-1D SATELLITE
Satellite entered in elliptical orbits instead of circular after it was
•
separated from rocket. Due to this problem, there is change in
swath, resolution according to orbit distance from the earth center.
•
Launch date : Sept. 29, 1997 (indigenous PSLV-D4 rocket was used)
Equatorial
• Crossing time: 10.40 A.M

•
Altitude : 737 Km(Perigee)/821 Km. (Apogee)
•
Repetivity : 24 days; ( 3 days revisit)
•
No. of Sensors : Three; 1) PAN, 2) LISS-III and
•
3)WiFS
In service
 IRS-P4 (Oceansat-1)
• Launch Date : May 26, 1999 by indigenous PSLV rocket
Payloads

• OCM (Ocean Colour Monitor) with 8 spectral bands

for the measurements of physical and biological
oceanographic parameters.
• In service.
TECHNOLOGY EXPERIMENT
SATELLITE(TES)
• Mission type: Earth Observation.
• Launch date:October 22, 2001
• Launch vehicle: PSLV
• Carrier rocket: PSLV C3
• Launch site: Satish Dhawan
• Altitude: 568 km
• In service.
 IRS-P6(ResourceSat)
Launch Date : Launched on Oct. 17, 2003 PSLV-C5
•
Payloads
•
• be the state-of-art satellite,
It will

have 3 band multispectral LISS-IV camera with a spatial resolution better than 5.86 m
and •a swath of around 25 km with across track steerability for selected area
monitoring.

An •improved version LISS-III with 4 bands (red, green, near IR and SWIR ), all at 23 m
resolution and 140 km swath will provide the much essential continuity to LISS-III.
•
Together with an advanced Wide Field Sensor (WiFS), with 80 m resolution and 1400 km
swath.
In service.
 IRS-P5 (CARTOSAT - 1 )
• Launch Date : May 5, 2005 by indigenous PSLV rocket
• It has carried two state-of-the-art Panchromatic (PAN)
cameras with 2.5 m resolution with fore-aft stereo capability.
• The swath covered by these high resolution PAN cameras is
30 km.
• . The satellite will provide cadastral level information upto
1:5000 scale and will be useful for making 2-5 m contour
maps.
• The Cartosat-1 also carried a solid state recorder with a
capacity of 120 Gigz Bits to store the images taken by its
cameras.
• Mission completed.
 IRS-P7 (CARTOSAT -2)
• Launch Date : Jan 10, 2007 by indigenous PSLV-C7 rocket
• It carried a single Panchromatic (PAN) camera with 1 m resolution.
• The swath covered by the high resolution PAN camera is 9.6 km.
• The satellite will have high agility with capability to steer along
and across the track up to 45 degrees.
• It was placed in a sun-synchronous polar orbit at an altitude of
635 km.
• It has a revisit period of 4 days, which can be improved to one day
with suitable orbit maneuvers.
• In service
 CARTOSAT-2A
• Mission type: Earth observationSatellite of Earth
• Launch date:28 April 2008, 03:53GMT
• Carrier rocket:PSLV-C9
• Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
• Mission duration:5 years
• Orbital period: 97.4 minutes
• Repeat interval: 4 days
• Swath width: About 9.6 kilometre
• Instruments: Main instrumentsOne panchromatic camera
• Spatial resolution:Less than 1 metre
• Spectral band:0.5 – 0.85 micrometre.
 I.M.S 1
• Mission type: Earth observation
• Satellite ofEarthLaunch date: 28 April 2008
• Carrier rocket: PSLV-C9
• Launch site: SLP, Satish Dhawan Space Centre
• Orbital period: ~90 minutes (estimated)
• Swath width: MS 151, HS 130 Km
• Instruments: Main instrumentsTwo cameras, Multi-
Spectral, Hyper-Spectral.
• In service.
 OCEANSAT-2
• Mission type: Oceanography
• Launch date: 23 September 2009
• Carrier rocket: PSLV-C14
• Launch site: Satish Dhawan Space Centre
• Period: 99.31 minutes.
• In service.
 CARTOSAT-2B
• Mission type : Earth observation.
• Launch date: 12 July 2010
• Carrier rocket : PSLV-CA (C15)
• Launch site: Satish Dhawan FLP
• Mission duration: 5 years
• Orbital period: 97.4 minutes
• Repeat interval: 4 days
• Swath width: About 9.6 kilometers
• Instruments Main instruments: One panchromatic camera
• Spatial resolution: Less than 1 metre
• Spectral band: 0.5 – 0.85 micrometre.
 Resourcesat-2
Orbit: Circular Polar Sun Synchronous
Orbit Inclination : 98.731º + 0.2º
Orbit Period : 101.35 min
Number of Orbits per day : 14
Local Time of Equator crossing : 10:30 am
Repeativity : 24 days
Launch date : April 20, 2011
Launch site: Sriharikota India
Launch vehicle : PSLV- C16
Mission life : 5 years
RESOURCESAT

SPECIFICATIONS
IRS-P6 (RESOURCESAT-1) is the most advanced
remote sensing satellite built by ISRO.

The tenth satellite of ISRO in IRS series, IRS-P6 , launched

on Oct. 17, 2003 PSLV-C5
Sun Synchronous Orbit

Three cameras

RESOURCESAT (IRS-P6) sensors viz., LISS-3, LISS-4 and

AWiFS are designed to provide monoscopic and
stereoscopic data of varying resolutions. The geometric
and spectral characteristics of the sensors are given.

The payloads will greatly aid crop/vegetation and

integrated land and water resources related applications.
 Swath Radiom
Sensor Spatial Steera Spectral
Km etric Resn
Resn m blity Bands

B2, B3, B4
LISS-3 23.5 No 140 7 bits
& B5

B3 (Mono
5.8 70
chromatic)
LISS-4 Yes 7 bits

23 B2, B3 &
5.8
B4
AWiFS B2, B3 & B4
-A 70 370
No 10 bits
-B ---Do---
370
70
Salient Features :

• Orbit : Circular Polar Sun Synchronous

• Orbit height : 817 km

• Orbit inclination : 98.7 deg

• Orbit period : 101.35 min

• Number of Orbits per day : 14

10.30 a.m.
• Local Time of Equator crossing :

• Repetivity (LISS-3) : 24 days

• Revisit (LISS-4) : 5 days

• Lift-off Mass : 1360 kg

3-axis body stabilised using
• Attitude and Orbit Control : Reaction Wheels, Magnetic Torquers
and Hydrazine Thrusters
Solar Array generating 1250 W, Two
• Power : 24 Ah Ni-Cd batteries
• Mission Life : 5 years
 IRS 1C/1D RESOURCESAT OCEANSAT

LISS III PAN WiFS LISS III LISS IV AWifs OCM

(Ocean
Colour
Monitor)
No of 4 1 2 4 3 3 8
Spectral
bands
Spectral B2 0.52-0.59 0.50 -0.75 B3 0.62-0.68 0.52-0.59 0.52-0.59 0.52-0.59 0.402-0.422
Bands B3 0.62-0.68 B4 0.77-0.86 0.62-0.68 0.62-0.68 0.62-0.68 0.433-0.453
B4 0.77-0.86 0.77-0.86 0.77-0.86 0.77-0.86 0.480-0.500
(microns)
B5 1.55-1.70 1.55-1.70 1.55-1.70 0.500-0.520
0.545-0.565
0.660-0.680
0.745-0.785
0.845-0.885

Spatial 23.5 for B2,B3,B4 Better than 188 23.5 5.8 56 360
Resolution and 10
70.5 for B5
(m)

Swath 142 km for B2, 70 km, nadir 774 km 141km 23.9 740 km 1420 km
B3,B4 and 148 Steering (MX mode)
km for B5 Range 26 70.3
(PAN mode)

Radiometri 128 64 128 7 bits 7 bits 10 bits

c levels
 Major Remote Sensing Missions

 Landsat Satellite System

Instrument Picture Launched Terminated Duration Notes

2 years, 11 monthsand Originally named EarthResources

Landsat 1 July 23, 1972 January 6, 1978
15 days Technology Satellite 1.

January 22, February 25, 2 years, 10 months and

Landsat 2 Nearly identical copy of Landsat1
1975 1982 17 days

Nearly identical copy of Landsat1

Landsat 3 March 5, 1978 March 31, 1983 5 years and 26 days
and Landsat 2
 Major Remote Sensing Missions(Landsat)

Instrument Picture Launched Terminated Duration Notes

December 14, 11 years, 4 months and

Landsat 4 July 16, 1982
1993 28 days

Nearly identical copy of Landsat 4.

29 years, 3 months and
Landsat 5 March 1, 1984 June 5, 2013[7] Longest Earth-observing satellite
4 days
mission in history.

October 5,
Landsat 6 October 5, 1993 0 days Failed to reach orbit.
1993
 Major Remote Sensing Missions(Landsat)

Instrument Picture Launched Terminated Duration Notes

16 years, 11 months and Operating with scan line corrector

Landsat 7 April 15, 1999 Still active
15 days disabled since May 2003.[8]

Originally named Landsat Data

Continuity Mission from launch until
February 11, 3 years, 1 month and
Landsat 8 Still active May 30, 2013, when NASA operations
2013 19 days
were turned over to USGS.[9]
Major Remote Sensing Missions(Landsat)
 Major Remote Sensing Missions

SPOT Satellite System

(satellite pour l’observation de la terre)
 SPOT 1 launched February 22, 1986 with 10 meter panchromatic and 20
meter multispectral picture resolution capability. Withdrawn December 31,
1990.
 SPOT 2 launched January 22, 1990 and deorbited in July 2009.
 SPOT 3 launched September 26, 1993. Stopped functioning November 14,
1997.
 SPOT 4 launched March 24, 1998. Stopped functioning July, 2013.
 SPOT 5 launched May 4, 2002 with 2.5 m, 5 m and 10 m capability.
 SPOT 6 launched September 9, 2012.
 SPOT 7 launched on June 30, 2014
 Major Remote Sensing Missions

 Spot 5 (2.5m/5m)
 Major Remote Sensing Missions

 Spot 6 (1.5m)
 Major Remote Sensing Missions

IKONOS
 The IKONOS satellite sensor was successfully launched as the first
commercially available high resolution satellite sensor

24 September 1999 at Vandenberg Air Force Base,

Launch Date
California, USA
Operational Life Over 7 years
Orbit 98.1 degree, sun synchronous
Resolution at Nadir 0.82 meters panchromatic; 3.2 meters multispectral
Resolution 26° Off-Nadir 1.0 meter panchromatic; 4.0 meters multispectral
Major Remote Sensing Missions
Major Remote Sensing Missions
 LANDSAT 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 Satellites and Their Specification
The Landsat celebrating Successful 40 Years.
The Landsat program is the longest running enterprise for acquisition of satellite
imagery of Earth. On July 23, 1972 the Earth Resources Technology Satellite was
launched. This was eventually renamed to Landsat. The most recent, Landsat 7, was
launched on April 15, 1999. The instruments on the Landsat satellites have acquired
millions of images. The images, archived in the United States and at Landsat
receiving stations around the world, are a unique resource for global change
research and applications
in agriculture, cartography, geology, forestry, regional planning, surveillance, education and
national security. Landsat 7 data has eight spectral bands with spatial
resolutions ranging from 15 to 60 meters; the temporal resolution is 16 days.
 General Features
LANDSAT 1 LANDSAT 2 LANDSAT 3 LANDSAT 4 LANDSAT 5 LANDSAT 6 LANDSAT 7
Launch Date July 23, 1972 January 22, March 5, July 16 , 1982 March 1, 1984 October 5, April 15, 1999
1975 1978 1993
Status Expired, Expired, Expired, Decommissione TM still lost at Operational
January 6, February 5, March 31, d, operational! launch despite
1978 1982 1983 June 15, 2001 MSS Scan Line
instrument Corrector (SLC)
decommission failure May 31,
ed 2003

Sensors RBV, MSS RBV, MSS RBV, MSS TM, MSS TM, MSS ETM ETM+
Altitude 900 km 900 km 900 km 705 km 705 km 705 km
Inclination 99.2° 99.2° 99.2° 98.2° 98.2° 98.2°
Orbit polar, sun- polar, sun- polar, sun- polar, sun- polar, sun- polar, sun-
synchrono synchronou synchronou synchronous synchronous synchronous
us s s
Equatorial nominally 9:42 AM 9:42 AM nominally 9:45 9:45 AM (± 15 10 AM (± 15 min.)
Crossing 9:42 AM mean mean AM min.) local local time
Time mean local time local time (± 15 min.) time (descending
local time (descendi local time node)
(descendi (descending
(descendi ng node) ng node) (descending node)
ng node) node)

Period of 103 minutes; 103 minutes; 103 minutes; 99 minutes; 99 minutes; 99 minutes; ~14.5
Revolution ~14 ~14 ~14 ~14.5 ~14.5 orbits/day
orbits/d orbits/d orbits/d orbits/day orbits/day
ay ay ay
Repeat 18 days 18 days 18 days 16 days 16 days 16 days
Coverag
e
Applications of Remote Sensing Satellites

 Land Cover Classification

 Land Cover Change Detection
 Water Quality Monitoring and Management
 Flood Monitoring
 Urban Monitoring and Development
 Measurement of Sea Surface Temperature
 Deforestation
 Global Monitoring
 Predicting Disasters
 Predicting Earthquakes
 Volcanic Eruptions
 Other Applications
 Application
Preharvest crop area and production estimation of major crops.
Drought monitoring and assessment based on vegetation condition.
Flood risk zone mapping and flood damage assessment.
Hydro-geomorphological maps for locating underground water
resources for drilling well.
Irrigation command area status monitoring
Snow-melt run-off estimates for planning water use in down stream
projects
 Land use and land cover mapping
Urban planning
Forest survey
Wetland mapping
Environmental impact analysis
Mineral Prospecting
Coastal studies