David E. Pitts Earth Observations Satellite Sensors An Overview Earth Observations Satellite Sensors An Overview Overview of Earth Observations Satellites

David E. Pitts

Earth Observations Satellite SensorsAn Overview


Overview of Earth Observations Satellites

by David E. PittsUniversity of Houston Clear Lake

copies of this presentation are available from:http://sce.uhcl.edu/Pitts/

February 7, 2015copyright 2015

David E. Pitts



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



LANDSAT (as of 1991, Landsat is a joint program of NASA, NOAA, and USGS)

Landsat 4 July 1982 - 1993Landsat 5 March 1984 -Failed Jan 6, 2013Landsat 6 Sept. 1993 (Failed)Landsat 7 (ETM+, no MSS) available until 2018

16 day repeat cycle Sun-synchronous orbit (705 km altitude, inclination 98.2 deg, period 99 minutes)MSS

Swath 185 km4 bands (green, red, 2 near IR)80 m resolution0 ≤ DN (Digital Number) ≤ 128

David E. Pitts



LANDSAT 8Launch - February 11, 2013Combined with Landsat 7 gives 8 day coverage.

OLI - 7,000 pixel, 9 band pushbroom, 30 m resolution

Silicon Pin detectors, bands 1 - 4, & 8MerCdTe 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.NET = 0.4 deg K. Gallium Arsenide detectors

http://tinyurl.com/awzxj6mhttp://ldcm.nasa.gov/

David E. Pitts



LANDSAT 8 - continued

OLI sensor bands(Pushbroom Scanner)

David E. Pitts



LANDSAT MSS & Landsat 7 ETM+ Data

Availability: EROS Data CenterMundt Federal BuildingSioux Falls SD 57198telephone - 605-594-6511

Digital DataMSS 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-sensinghttp://eros.usgs.gov/satellite-imageryhttp://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ Use this tool to find images

David E. Pitts



LANDSAT continued

Thematic Mapper185 x 170 km7 bands (blue, green, red, near IR, 2 mid IR, thermal)30 m resolution0 ≤ DN (Digital Number) ≤ 255

No on-board tape recorders - instead uses:TDRSSGround Stations

Landsat 7 ETM+ will have previous capabilities plus15 m resolution - panchromaticThermal IR - 60 m resolution

David E. Pitts



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



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



Aquarius

Global sea surface salinity (seawater emissivity)

Launch - June 10, 2011

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



Aqua

Launch: May 4, 2002

Altitude 705 km, 98.2 deg Inclination, period 99 minutes

Sun Synchronous, repeat 16 days.

MODIS: Moderate Resolution Imaging SpectroradiometerAMSR-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 SounderHSB: Humidity Sounder for Brazilhttp://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/IOTD/view.php?id=2421

David E. Pitts



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 satelliteCan 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



EO-1 NASA SatelliteTRW built Hyperion hyperspectral imager - launched Nov 21, 2000

mission completed Nov 20, 200130 m resolution220 spectral bandsswath 7.5 km x 180 kmCCD 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



• OCO Orbiting Carbon Observatory– The $278 million dollar satellite failed on launch - Feb 24, 2009

• OCO-2 Orbiting Carbon Observatory -2– Successful launch july 2, 2014– Measures Solar Induced Chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF)– Measured Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere– http://oco2.jpl.nasa.gov/

• NASA's Glory Earth Observation Satellite launch - Nov 22, 2010

– Monitoring aerosols in the atmosphere

– Monitoring solar irradiance

David E. Pitts



FranceSpot-4 launched March 23, 1998 (Spot-2 retired July 30, 2009)Spot-5 launched May 4, 2002

http://eoedu.belspo.be/en/satellites/spot.htmSun synchronous orbitrepeat cycle - each 26 daysCross track point of 60 km swath gives 2.5 day coverage3-bands (green, red, near IR) 20 m resolution1-band (combined) 10 m resolution 60 x 60 km scene

Full multispectral scene or full B & W $1,200.00Rectified multispectral scene $11,475.00Source - Spot Image Corp. Washington D. C.1897 Preston White DriveReston VA 22091-4368Telephone 703-620-2200 http://www.spot.comSpot-6 & 7 launch 2012-2014

David E. Pitts



IndiaBhaskara 1 launched June 7, 1979Bhaskara 2 launched Nov. 20, 1981

IRS-1A series began in March 1988 - not in useIRS P- 3 Launched March 21, 1996IRS-1D Launched Sept. 29, 1997

140,000 scenes of India obtainedGround stations at Bangalore and Hyderabad

4 bands - (G, R, nIR, SWIR) resolution - 23.5 m70.5 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 SynchronousCross Track Stereo

David E. Pitts



• 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

• ResourceSat-1 (IRS-P6)– 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



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 DataAvailability - http://www.geoeye.com/products/services/default.htm

David E. Pitts



India concluded

IRS Satellite Data

Media - CD ROM

Format - tiff, bsq

North American Coverage23 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



• 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

• 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• 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



• Geoeye-2 spacecraft launch expected 2013

David E. Pitts



• Orbview-3– 4m Multispectral (8 bands) $7/sq km, (2653 sq km)

– $18571.00 USD plus shipping ($35)– 29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283

• Orbview-3– 1 m Panchromatic $5/sq km, (2653 sq km)

– $13265.00 USD plus shipping ($35) – 29.221302, -95.271061, 29.675783, -94.7283

David E. Pitts



Canada

RadarsatC-band SAR - November 4, 1995100 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 BoulevardLanham, Maryland 20706 USA800 - 344- 9933 ext 537301-552-3762

Cost $1,250.00 to $2120.00 U. S. per scene on CDROMhttp://www.spaceimaging.com/products/radarsat/index.htmhttp://radarsat.space.gc.ca/

David E. Pitts



United Kingdom & SpainUK-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



Japanese Remote Sensing Satellites

MOS - Marine Oceanographic SatelliteMOS - 1 Launched Feb 1987MOS - 1B Launch scheduled 199017 day repeat Sun Synchronous SatelliteMSS copyDirect Downlink

JERS - 1Launched Feb. 1992, Failed Oct. 12, 1998TM copy (without the thermal band)L-band SAR (HH polarization) - 75 km swath, 18 m resolutionDirect Downlink, repeat cycle - 44 days

David E. Pitts



Japanese Remote Sensing Satellites concludedADEOS-1

Launched Aug. 17, 1996 into 98.6 deg orbit, failed June 30, 1997Orbital 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 ScannerADEOS-2 Has OCTS, AVNIR & several gas spectrometers Launch - Dec. 14, 2002, Solar panel failed October 26, 2003Data Available thru JAXA

GOSAT (Greenhouse Gases Observing Satellite) – launch 2009

David E. Pitts



• ALOS JAXA - Advanced Land Observing Satellite

2 systems (Atmosphere and Marine, Land observations)

• Launch Jan 24, 2006, Sunsynchronous (98.16 deg), repeat cycle 46 days

• PALSAR (follow on to JERS-1) L-band, 250 to 350 km swath, HH and VV and Cross Polarization

• AVNIR-2 nadir view, 10 m resolution, 4 band (RGB & nIR), 70 km swath, pointing 44 degrees left or right of nadir

• 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



RussiaMIR

KFA System - 5 m resolution film based system$1600.00 per sceneRecoverable film packages each 4 weeksOperational 1986 - 2001

Spin - 2Dates of Operation 1980-1998Panchromatic 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.comFormat tiff or hard copy printsCost 10 m res. - $1.00 / km sq

2 m res. - $2.59 / km sq, min order 100 sq. km

David E. Pitts



Russia

Resurs-01-4 Launched July 10, 1998Multispectral 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-1Launched June 15, 2006Resolution - 3.3 ft grey scale imagery, 7 ft multispectral

David E. Pitts



• Russia

• KANOPUS– Launch - Dec 2009– 2.1 m panchromatic resolution– 10.5 m multispectral resolution

• Surrey Satellite Technology (SSTL) in the UK is providing avionics and software plus design support.

David E. Pitts



European Space Agency

SMOS Soil Moisture & Ocean Salinity - launch Nov 2, 2009

ERS-1 Launch May 1991ERS-2 Launch 1995

C-band SAR VV polarization, 25 m resolution

3.1 x 3.1 mile imagettes35 day repeat cycle80 km swath

4 band Thermal IR instrument3 Angle Scatterometer for sea surface roughness

Cost $1,250.00 to $2120.00 U. S. per scene on CDROMSource - EOSAT http://www.spaceimaging.com/products/imagery.htm

David E. Pitts



European Space Agency

ENVISAT - Launched March 1, 2002Lost communications April 8, 2012

ASAR - C band Radar like ERS-1 & 2, swath 400 km

GOMOS - Stellar Occultation - Atmosphere Constituents0.47 - 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



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- PoseidonUses S and K bands

AATSR - Sea Surface Temp and Vegetation mapperScans along track only,0.67, 0.87, 1.6, 3.7. 10.7, and 12.0 µ m

SCIAMACHY - Scanning Imaging Absorption Spectrometerfor Atmospheric CartographyMaps gasses such as Ozone0.24 - 2.5 micrometers

David E. Pitts



European Space Agency (continued)Copernicus (previously GMES)

First 3 of these are called Sentinels

Sentinel 1 - C-band SAR 5 m resolution - launch 2013Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 12 days

cycle length 175 dayslocal solar time 1600

Dual PolarizationSentinel 2 - Multispectral - launch 2014

Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 10 dayslocal solar time 1030

Sentinel 3 - Ocean color, passive microwave - launch 2015Sun synchronous, repeat cycle 27 dayslocal solar time 1000

David E. Pitts



• European Space Agency (continued)

• German Space Agency (DLR)

• Terra SAR-X – 1 - 16 m resolution Synthetic Aperture Radar– X - band Radar– Launched June 2006

• Tandem-X (almost identical satellite to Terra SAR-X)– Formed a radar interferometer system (launched in June 2010)

• EnMap - pushbroom hyperspectral scanner– 30 m resolution– 0.42 to 2.4 m (184 bands, 155 bands visible, 94 band nIR)– Launch 2015– Sun synchronous polar orbit, revisit cycle 4 days– 30 degrees off nadir, 30 km swath

David E. Pitts



European Space Agency (concluded)• Sentinel 3 launch expected 2014

• Earthcare Satellite– 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



• 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



• 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

– .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, 2012

David E. Pitts



• Spain

• Ingenio (SEOSAT)– 2.5 m panchromatic resolution– 10 meter Multispectral– 2012 launch– Radar imager to follow

• U. K.– 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



• Turkey

• GÖKTÜRK-2 Earth Observations Satellite– 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

• Nigeria Sat-X– Resolution: 22m, 600 km swath– Launched Aug 17, 2011, built by British SSTL

David E. Pitts



Orbital Imaging Corp.

OrbView - 1 launched April 3, 1995OrbView - 2 launched Aug. 1, 1997

Panchromatic, 1 m resolutionMultispectral, 4 m resolutionPointable ± 45 degrees, Sun Synchronousrepeat coverage on the ground of <3 days.

OrbView - 3 launched June 26, 2003Orb View - 4 launch Sept. 2001 - launch failed to reach orbit

Hyperspectral 280 channels, swath 5 km, 4m resolution

http://www.geoeye.com/products/default.htmhttp://www.itc.nl/research/products/sensordb/Launch_Schedule.aspx

David E. Pitts



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 bandsB, G, R, NIR,66 deg orbit, revisit 1-5 daysresolution - 4 m multispectral, 1 m panchromatic704 km swath, scene 22 x 22 kmRussian launch vehicle

Quickbird - 2 launched - Oct. 18, 2001

http://www.digitalglobe.com/

David E. Pitts



ImageSat InternationalJoint venture by Israel Aircraft Industries & Core Software Technologyreceiving station on Cyprus

EROS-A1 SatelliteLaunch - Dec. 5, 2000Pan 0.5 - 0.9 µ m - 1.8 m resolution pointable sensor15 day repeat10 bit imagery, swath = 14 km (9666 pixels)

http://www.csir.co.za/plsql/ptl0002/PTL0002_PGE005_DIVISIONS?DIVISION_NO=7209624

EROS-B1 SatelliteLaunch - pending15 day repeat ( 3 days with pointing)1 m resolution - 20 km swath (20,000 pixels)

David E. Pitts



China-Brazil

Haiyung 1 - launched May 15, 20029 Bands5 bands - 20 m res., 3 bands 80 m res., 1 band - 160 m res.Cross Track Stereo900 km wide swath26 day repeat Sun Synchronous orbit

Tsinghua - 1 launched June 28, 2000

CBERS-1 - (4 band 3 m) launched Oct 14, 1999, deactivated 2003CBERS-2 - (4 band 3 m) launch 2003, deactivated 2007CBERS 2-B launch Sept 19, 2007, 20 m resolution, 113 km swath, 26 day repeat, 4 bandsCBERS-3 – launch failedCBERS-4 – early December 2014 launch

David E. Pitts



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



KH-11National Imagery and Mapping Agency-Previous known as the National Reconnaissance OfficeResolution < 0.3 mnot available to the public

Skybox ImagingSkysat-1 launch 2013, 450 km orbit, Sun SynchronousSkysat-2 launch March 27, 2014, identical to Skysat-1

http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/skysat-1.htm

David E. Pitts



ArgentinaSAC-C Launched Nov. 21, 2000Comision Nacional de Actividades Especiales (CONAE)

SAC-D launch now expected April 2011 (on a Delta)http://www.esr.org/aquarius_sat/aquarius_main.html

Aquarius by NASAROSA by ItalySODAD by CNES (France)CONAE instruments

Microwave Radiometer (MWR)Infra-red Camera (NIRST)High Sensitivity Camera (HSC)Data Collection System (DCS)Technological Demonstration Package (TDP)

Argentina may have its own launch vehicle by 2013http://en.mercopress.com/2010/08/16/argentina-developing-satellite-launcher-ready-by-2013-in-puerto-belgarno

David E. Pitts



Israel

Ofek-5 Remote Sensing Satellite launched 2002

Ofek-6 failed due to 3rd stage malfunction Sept. 7, 2004

David E. Pitts



Korea

Kompsat-2 - Launched July 28, 20061 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-x900 km wide swath26 day repeat Sun Synchronous orbit

Taiwan

Formosat-2 Launch May 19, 20042 meter resolution

David E. Pitts



• Google Earth– Probably uses Geoeye-1 images (color at .4 m)

– $400 image processing software allows detail analysis

David E. Pitts



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/PoseidonJason measures ocean height with 4.2 cm accuracy for Monitoring El Nino and Ocean eddies.

Jason - 2 launch June 15, 2008.

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



TOMS-1launched 1978 on Nimbus 7 to measure stratospheric ozonefailed May 1993

TOMS-2launched on Russian Meteor 3 on Aug 1991Chopper 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



TOMS Concluded

Solar UV Backscatter in 1 nm bands at 309, 313, 318, 322, 331, and 360 nmScans 51 degrees either side of nadir (3000 km wide swath)Resolution 50 km, 11:30 am local time sun synchronous, Altitude 955 kmSulfur 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



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 contacthttp://seawifs.gsfc.nasa.gov/scripts/SEAWIFS.html

David E. Pitts



SEAWIFS concluded

Eight Bands402-422nm ctr 412 433-453, ctr 443 480-500, ctr 490500-520, ctr 510 545-565, ctr 555 660-680, ctr 670745-785 ctr 765 845-885, ctr 865Radiometric accuracy, 5% each band

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



International Space Station (ISS)

HREP/RAIDS transferred to ISS Sept 11, 2009To continue to 2013Missions |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 Laboratory0.38 - 1.0 m (0.01 m bands), 7.6 deg fovIn WORF (Window Observational Research Facility) on ISSData archived at NRL Stennis Space Center

water claritybottom typesbathymetryon-shore vegetation maps

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/research/experiments/HREP-HICO.html

David E. Pitts



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



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, 1998NOAA-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, 2005NOAA - 19 Feb 6, 2009

David E. Pitts



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



NOAA AVHRR

sun synchronousDaily coverage2600 km swathNadir resolution is 1.1 km (LAC)Archived global area coverage (GAC) - 4 km resolution

0.58 - .69 µm0.725 - 1.1 µm3.55 - 3.93 µm10.3 - 11.3 µm11.5 - 12.5 µm

David E. Pitts



DMSPTwo sun synchronous satellites used (6:30 am and 9:00 am)Bands 0.4 to 1.1 mm, 10.5 - 12.5 mmResolution either 0.55 km (Regional Coverage)

2.7 km (global coverage) 3000 km swath widthBlock 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, 2007DMSP - F19 Oct 18, 2009DMSP - F-20 Oct 2011

Microwave Imager19, 22, 37 and 85 GHz1400 km swath widthavailable thru the NOAA/NGDC (National Geophy. Data Center)http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/dmsp/dmsp.html

David E. Pitts



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 bitsIR Channel 7 x 7 km 10 bits

GOES 9 launched May 23, 1995Sounding & Imaging capability over the entire hemisphereEach 15 minutes, located 75 deg W19 channels provide Temperature and Moisture profiles

GOES - 11 - L Launched May 3, 2000GOES - 12 - M launched July 23, 2001 (GOES East, 75 deg W)GOES - 13 - N launched May 24, 2006GOES - 14 - launched June 27, 2009GOES - 15 - launched March 4, 2010GOES - R - 2015GOES - S - ?

David E. Pitts



Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM)Joint NASA and JAXA satelliteMonitors Tropical RainfallLaunched 199735 degree inclination - complicated repeat patternNot 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 dayLightning Imaging Sensor (LIS)

David E. Pitts



Meteosat (Eumetsat)

Geosynchronous systemFull hemisphere image each 30 minutesMeteosat 1 - 1975 Meteosat 2 - 1981Meteosat 3 - 1987 (50 degrees west, being used by the U. S.)Meteosat 4 - backup for Meteosat 5Meteosat 5 - reactivated & moved to 63 degrees East (Saudi & India)Meteosat 6 - in stand by mode at 9 deg WMeteosat 7 - launched Sept. 9, 1997, Indian Ocean

MSG-1 - launched Aug. 28, 2002, 3.4 deg WMSG-2 - launched Dec 21, 2005 (Eumetsat, Metop)MSG-3 - launch expected June 19, 2012METOP-A - Launched Oct 19, 2006 from BaikonurMETOP-B - 2010http://forum.nasaspaceflight.com/index.php?topic=6114.135

David E. Pitts



India Metsat 1 launched Sept 12, 2002Renamed Kalpana-1 in honorof the Columbia astronaut.

Japan Himawari 5 - launched March 18, 1995Geosynchronous satellite

MTSat-1R- Feb 24, 2005MTSat-2 Feb 18, 2006

http://www.cira.colostate.edu/cira/RAMM//hillger/geo-wx.htm

David E. Pitts



Russia

Meteor 3M-N1 - launched Dec. 10, 2001Meteor 3M-N2 - launched Dec 2004Polar 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 2005visible 0.46 - 0.7 µ mIR 10.5 - 12.5 µ mIR 6.7 - 7.0 µ m on GOMS-2

http://sputnik.infospace.ru

David E. Pitts



China

FY-2B Feng Yun geostationary met satellite - June 26, 2000FY-2C - 2004FY-2D - 2006FY-2E - 2009FY-1D Polar Orbiter May 15, 2002

FSW-3 5 A recoverable imaging satellite - March 2005

David E. Pitts



• 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.

Documents

David E. Pitts Earth Observations Satellite Sensors An Overview Earth Observations Satellite Sensors An Overview Overview of Earth Observations Satellites