The system design and system operating plans provide for the creation 
of special photographic products, using processing algorithms different 
than those used for standard products. By retrospective order to GSFC 
we can also acquire and process, on behalf of a user, data that have 
not been resampled, data that have been resampled by the "nearest 
neighbor" algorithm, and data that have been fit to a Universal Transverse 
Mercator or Polar Steorographic projection. 
Implementation of the new system will have little visible impact on the 
traditional user of EDC image products, except to provide images of 
improved density and resolution. The geometric properties of the images 
will improve continuously over the next several years as the library of 
ground control points is expanded and referenced for computing the 
geometric corrections. Initially images will be processed against 
"image control points" whose geodetic accuracy is undetermined. This 
will allow repetitive images to be registered one to another but will 
not necessarily improve image-to-map registration. As geodetically 
accurate control points are identified and used, the cartographic 
accuracy of the products will improve. 
Implementation of the new system will have a dramatic effect on the 
users of computer compatible tapes (CCT's) -- all for the good. We 
will no longer need to order the master tape (for standard products) 
retrospectively from Goddard. This action historically has added from 
30 to 180 days to the delivery time. Because the master tape is stored 
at EDC, CCT's of data resampled by cubic convolution to the HOM 
projection can be produced a few days after receipt of an order. A 
further benefit to the CCT user is the fact that CCT users will have a 
choice of pixel sequencing on the tapes. The data will be available in 
"band sequential" or "band-interleaved-by-line" data sequences, with 
packing densities of 800 or 1600 bits-per-inch. 
Both elements of the data processing system are currently producing test 
products; routine data production will begin in the early fall of this 
year. 
Another significant improvement in the delivery of Landsat products in 
the U.S. will be affected with the installation of communication 
satellite transmission capabilities at the three receiving stations, 
transmit-receive capability at GSFC, and reception capability at EDC. 
The data now have to be physically transported from the receiving 
stations to GSFC and from GSFC to EDC. The output products are normally 
available to the user in about 45 days after acquisition by the satellite. 
This time should be reduced to about 15 days with communication satellite 
relay of the data, beginning in late 1978. 
International Catalog of Landsat Acquisitions 
The number of Landsat receiving stations outside the United States is 
continuing to grow. The activities of these ground stations are 
coordinated by the Landsat Ground Station Operators Working Group. As 
a member of that group, EDC has volunteered to coordinate the compilation 
of a unified data base of Landsat acquisitions. At present, users may 
have to contact several sources to identify all of the Landsat acquisitions 
    
     
   
   
   
    
     
   
    
   
     
   
  
  
    
   
    
   
     
  
  
  
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