167 
THE BUILDING OF RADIOMETRIC CALIBRATION TEST SITE 
FOR SATELLITE SENSORS IN CHINA 
Daogang WU U) (2)^ Yonghao ZHU O) f 
Zhimin WANG Bangjun GE U) f Yonglong YIN 
(1) China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and Applications. 
P.O. Box 849-37. 100830 BEIJING, CHINA 
(2) Centre for Remote Sensing in Geology 
Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources P.R.C. 
29, Institute Road, 100083 BEIJING, CHINA 
(3) Anhui Institute of Optics and Fine Mechanics 
Chinese Academy of Sciences 
ABSTRACT 
With the successful launch of the Land Resources Satellite (ZY-1) and the Fengyun (FY-1) Meteorological 
Satellite, China is speeding up its steps of developing Earth Resources Satellite and other earth observation 
sensors. In the domain of the application of remote sensing techniques, China has used a large amount of earth 
observation satellite data from America, France and other countries since 1970's. In order to analyze 
quantitatively remote sensing data and to promote the application of remote sensing data, China is developing 
radiometric calibration test site techniques and preparing radiometric calibration test sites for resources 
satellite. 
There are large areas of Gobi, salt flat and desert in the north-western part of China. Chinese expert 
group has thoroughly collected and studied the satellite images, aerial photographs, and meteorological data of 
those areas. By in-site investigations, the optical characteristics of areas concerned were measured. Areas of 
100 square kilometers of Gobi near Germo city in the Qinghai Province and near Dunhuang in the Gansu 
Province have been tentatively selected as the potential radiometric calibration test sites and now are under 
preparation. 
KEY WORDS : Radiometric Calibration, Test Site 
INTRODUCTION 
In order to study the natural resources and to obtain information on the environment by using space 
technology, the Chinese government established the satellite receiving station in 1988 and started to receive 
the image data of American Landsat TM. The utilization of the French satellite SPOT HRV has also started. 
All of these data are used for a quite long time. 
Actually, China is promoting her own plan of both meteorological and resource satellites. The FY-1 
meteorological satellites were launch in orbit in 1990 and 1991. Some image data have been obtained and 
utilized. FY-2 meteorological satellite will be set in its orbit in 1996. In addition, ZY-1 resource satellite is in 
process of manufacture and will be set in its orbit in 1996. In order to quantify the image data, China follows 
USA and France to establish its own test site for the radiometric calibration of satellite sensors. 1 
1 - MAIN CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CHINESE SATELLITES 
LI. Main characteristics of the sensor of the Earth Resource Satellite ZY-1 
This Earth Resource Satellite is equiped with two CCD cameras having three spectral bands and a 
multispectral scanner equiped with shotwave infrared and thermal infrared bands. The main characteristics of 
these sensors are summarized inTable 1 .,