Remote Sensing Progress and Plans - 1976-1978
A Summary
by
W. A. Fischer and Ruth Y. Herbert
U.S. Geological Survey
Reston, Virginia 22090
The purpose of this summary is to update previous reports submitted
to the International Society of Photogrammetry on Progress in Remote
Sensing (Fischer, 1972) (Fischer, Hemphill, and Kover, 1976). In keep-
ing with the responsibilities of Commission I, progress and plans
relating to the acquisition of remote sensing data are emphasized.
Aircraft Systems - The major advances in aircraft data acquisition
systems have been 1) the development of a luminescence imaging system
operable from fixed-wing aircraft (Watson and others, 1977 a and b);
and 2) the broader utilization of side-looking radar systems,
especially for surveys of frequently cloud-covered parts of the African
continent.
Spacecraft Systems - Greater surveying emphasis is now being
placed by non-military agencies of the U.S. Government on use of space-
craft to acquire resources and environmental data, The United States |
plans to increase the number and diversity of its space observations
(Appendix). In addition, 1) the European Space Agency is planning to
install cameras for Earth observation purposes in early Space Shuttle
flights; and 2) the USSR is continuing its routine Salyut/Soyuz photog-
raphy augmented by electronically transmitted data from their Meteor-
class spacecraft. It is understood that the Japanese are considering a
Landsat-type satellite.
Data processing - There is growing utilization of Landsat data in
digital form. The Earth Resources Observation Systems (EROS) Data
Center, in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Adminis-
tration (NASA), is converting standard processing of all Landsat data
to a digital mode. The digital processing system is expected to begin
production in mid-1978.
Analytical utilization of Landsat digital data is likewise
increasing. Many approaches and algorithms have bcen tested and used.
It is currently thought by some that, because of the potentially great
savings in computer and analysts' time, that maximum likelihood
computational programs will become more widely applied.
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