In several other countries, other film, radar, and multispectral 
scanning and/or solid state radiometers are proposed, all of which 
could provide useful geological information. These include the 
propsed radar satellites; ERS-1 of the European Space Agnecy (ESA) 
and Canada's RADARSAT. Presumably, these satellites will provide 
L-band or other Synthetic Aperture Radar data in the general range 
of 20-30 meter IFOV resolution. In Germany, a high-resolution, 
multispectral visible/very near infrared solid state radiometer 
system (MOMS) will be flown in 1983 as part of a shuttle experi- 
ment on board a shuttle platform called SPAS. 
The Soviet Union, India, and China are planning other remote 
sensing satellite devices, which may provide usable geological 
data. However, at present it is not clear whether these data will 
be available to the general global community nor to what extent 
they will provide geologically useful data. 
Conclusion 
It is strongly believed by those who will provide these satellite 
systems and their ground receiving stations, as well as those in 
the geological exploration community, who, through The Geosat 
Committee and elsewhere, have attempted to evaluate the future 
potential of these satellite systems, that they will in fact pro- 
vide potentially invaluable data during the '80's. Very useful 
global geological information can be extracted from these data 
for the better geologic mapping and understanding of our energy 
and mineral resources. In areas such as Latin America, where this 
information can be hard to obtain at present, the development and 
the availability of this satellite derived data will be of great 
potential value. 
Because of the high cost of obtaining, archiving, and processing 
data from these future systems and because of the high potential 
value to future exploration for global non-renewable resources, 
the successful use of these systems will depend in large measure 
on international cooperation in developing compatible and comple- 
mentary space systems and in the exchange of data under the "Open 
Skies" policy. Of great importance is the fact that these programs 
all depend on cooperative data sharing, archiving, and global dis- 
tribution through upgraded existing and planned ground receiving 
stations in the Americas as well as the rest of the world. Failure 
to provide upgraded regional ground receiving stations throughout 
the world may lead to limited access to these data for all. 
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