Unlike its competitors, EarthWatch Inc. has stated
that it "will retain ownership and possession of all
data collected by its satellites. It will maintain a
complete Digital Globe™ (representing images and
elevation data for every point on the Earth), and will
make this archived imagery available at highly
competitive prices for those customers who place
priority on easy access and quick response."
EarthWatch ground stations will transmit raw imagery
to Longmont, Colorado headquarters where geometric
and radiometric calibrations, processing and archiving
will be performed. The corrected imagery can then be
transmitted to a customer or EarthWatch distributor.
This entire process, from satellite to consumer, can be
accomplished in about 15 minutes! The underlying
philosophy is to keep the data in digital form to
assure image quality and utility, as well as speed of
delivery. — EarthWatch image products include:
Precision-Corrected images; Terrain-Corrected images;
Digital Terrain Models (DTM's); and Perspective
Views; with Catalog and Image Subscription Services.
ORBITAL SCIENCES CORPORATION
ORBIMAGE
The Orbital Sciences Corporation (OSC) is the USA
leader in light-sat launches, highlighted by its Pegasus
launch vehicle. ORBIMAGE is an OSC Company
specializing in providing global imaging information
and developing new remote sensing, Earth observation
and environmental products and services. "SeaStar,"
the first of its imaging systems, will be launched in
mid 1996 to measure daily levels of phytoplankton
chlorophyll in the oceans. OSC and ORBIMAGE
headquarters are located in Dulles, Virginia.
ORBIMAGE is managed by Gilbert D. Rye, President
and Armand D. Mancini, Vice President.
The OrbView-1 imaging system plan is to supply high
quality, low-cost imagery products and services for
commercial, civil and military markets. The initial
satellite will include a one- and two-meter resolution
panchromatic sensor and a four-meter resolution
multispectral sensor which will share a common
aperture. OrbView-1 is scheduled for a Pegasus
launch in the Fall of 1997 and has a design/expected
life of three to five years. It features an electro-
optical camera that has capability to image scenes 45°
off axis in all directions. Such flexibility provides an
average revisit time, for an area of repetitive interest,
of 1.8 days at the equator, 1.5 days at +30° latitudes,
and 0.9 day at latitudes of 60°. The typical scene
size is 8 by 8 km, but its collection capabilities are
highly flexible. Combining photo identifiable control
with OrbView-l's high resolution stereo imager
enables cost-effective generation of geodetically
correct 1:24,000 scale maps with 6 m contours.
276
ORBIMAGE is establishing a network of international
distributors located near existing ground receiving and
processing stations. Each of the distributors will be
licensed by ORBIMAGE to receive imagery in real-
time and to archive and sell OrbView imagery to
customers in their nation or geographic region of the
world. ORBIMAGE will support these distribution
centers with the capability to produce a variety of
standard products such as orthorectified image maps,
seamless mosaics, contour maps, digital terrain models,
stereopairs, image enhancements, perspective scenes,
etc. ORBIMAGE will archive and disseminate data to
its distributors through ORBNET, (See Figure 2.) a
commercial communications service company of
Orbital Sciences Corp. which is scheduled to
commence service in early 1996 to supply SeaStar data,
aerial photos, etc.
SPACE IMAGING, INC.
On 15 May 1995 Space Imaging, Inc. opened its
headquarters in Thornton, Colorado having relocated
from Sunnyvale, California. Formed initially by
Lockheed Missiles and Space Co., Space Imaging is
now an independent corporation of which Lockheed
Martin Corp., E-Systems, Inc. and Mitsubishi Corp.
are minority partners. Space Imaging is directed by J.
R. Copple, CEO and John Neer, President.
The Space Imaging system is designed to cover large
area swaths of high resolution imagery from its 680 km
orbit. The system has a very expansive field of regard,
and uses GPS in conjunction with three digital star
trackers to maintain precise camera station position
and attitude. Thus it can provide absolute positioning
without ground control in the 12 to 15 m range. With
the addition of ground control points (GCP's) and
terrain elevation data, the system is projected to
support high precision orthophotos that will meet
National Map Accuracy Standards for 1:2,400 scale
mapping!
As shown in figure 3, the ground station uplinks to the
satellite contain user requested latitude/longitude
bounds, desired bandwidth and tasking (imaging)
priorities. The fore and aft collection of overlapping
swaths provides optimal base height ratios enabling a
stereo scene to be imaged on the same orbital pass,
plus opportunities to acquire additional images during
the same time frame are available. System users
receive confirmation of tasking, and subsequently
receive the imagery and its metadata for processing.
Space Imaging, Inc. is establishing a network of
regional affiliates which will have site licenses for
uplinking, tasking and direct sales. Regional and
portable ground stations will task and control image
International Archives of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing. Vol. XXXI, Part B4. Vienna 1996
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