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| 
IKONOS COLLECTION CAPABILITY WITH THE DIRECT TASKING FROM A 
REGIONAL OPERATION CENTER 
| Center, 
plet for I Bavir 
.Dayir 
ling and av 
INTA SPACETURK, Haymana Yolu 12.Km 06830 Golbasi Ankara, TURKEY - 
ibayir(@spaceturk.com.tr 
sing and 
bal R l KEY WORDS: IKONOS, Satellite, High Resolution, Imagery, Camera, Metadata, Infrared 
Tom the ; 
anal of 
ABSTRACT: 
A Code | 
inapolis, | The IKONOS satellite has a global operations network and each regional operation center can directly 
send the tasking packages to the satellite and collects and receive the images in real time mode over 
Pier 320 Mbit/sec link. Space Imaging Eurasia is one of these operational centers among this network and 
its collection efficiency is the best within this network. Each operation center has the ability to 
autonomously task the satellite within their communication cone. The location of the communication 
e co. cone is dependent upon the placement of Radio Frequency Terminal and the communication cone size 
| 
| 
| 
ce by | | is dependent upon antenna elevation angle. The minimum value for this antenna elevation angle is 5 
| 
ation of degrees and once the antenna is settled to this extend and rotated around 360 degrees, the 
om he communication cone of a regional operation center having 4600 km diameter can be reached. Each 
regional operation center has local collection planning and sensor tasking, direct downlink of image 
jch site, | data from the IKONOS satellite, local image catalog and archive and local product generation and 
| distribution rights. In this paper I will present how Space Imaging Eurasia can access more area and 
| more clear area in its communication cone. Results show the weather data usage and collection 
| efficiency improvements in one particular satellite pass. 
v.htrm$. 1. THE IKONOS SATELLITE 1.1 Narrow Band Antenna: Omni antenna used 
| to receive the tasking packets from the ground 
| The IKONOS satellite is unique in its combination station and transmit the real-time tasking response 
| of qualities. Unlike normal “push broom” satellites to the ground station. There is a time limit for the 
| (for example, LANDSAT or IRS), IKONOS is an tasking package upload for the regional operation 
| agile satellite. “Agile” means the satellite can be centers that operators have to send the imaging 
directed to take images front, back, left and right schedule to the satellite within 25 second after 
of its nadir path. Also, IKONOS has the ability to contact with the IKONOS satellite. 
do tasking while either in, or out of, direct contact 
with the ground station 1.2 Wide Band Antenna: Gimbled antenna used 
| 
to send realtime imagery and metadata to the 
| En 2 ground station. The Imagery sent to regional 
| WeeBeam 2 P s. luge operation centers after they have contacted with 
E i 3 the IKONOS satellite and executed onboard 
Ter software. The onboard software calculates the scan 
EM. and slew durations for each image and sent this 
Sitar Colicon information to the subsystems and actuators to 
iW return. the satellite exact place for imaging 
purpose. Wide band antenna collects the images in 
| 
| { 
Wide Band Antenna ae . : : : 
| CR het ~~ either right hand steering law or left hand steering 
| E: Thermal Door 
| 
  
AT tn law and then send these images in real time mode 
Ye to the ground station over 320 Mbit/sec link. 
SPS Recaver 
  
Optical Sensor Assembh 
Figure 1 . The IKONOS block diagram 
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