Cartographic Potential of Space Images 
Karsten Jacobsen 
University of Hannover 
Nienburger Str. 1 
D3000 Hannover 
FR Germany 
1. Abstract 
Space images taken by the Metric Camera (MC), the Large Format Camera (LFC), the 
KFA 1000 (KFA), the KATE 200 (KATE), Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) and SPOT 
have been used for mapping. The geometric potential of MC, LFC, KFA and SPOT has 
been shown as sufficiant for small map scales. But for mapping the identification of 
objects can limit the possible scale. Based on the derived contents, mapping in the 
scale 1 : 50 000 is possible with LFC, KFA and SPOT. The best results have been 
achieved with the KFA images, but it is not very different to SPOT. 
2. Introduction 
Map scales of approximately 1 : 50 000 are necessary for efficiant planing of 
resources. But only the following coverage of the whole world is existing: 
approximate map scale 
coverage 
annual progress 
1 : 25 000 
13% 
0.3% 
1 : 50 000 
42% 
1.2% 
1 : 100 000 
42% 
0.3% 
1 : 200 000 
80% 
0.0% 
table 1: worldwide map coverage (UN-statistics) 
Only in Europe and the USSR we have a nearly complete coverage. The annual 
progress in mapping is not sufficiant, so alternatives to the traditional mapping has 
to be taken into account. Not only the completeness is important, maps have to be 
actualy. A revision cycle between 5 and 10 years is necessary. But worldwide just 
3% of the maps are updated per year. So a high number of existing maps are out 
of date. 
A progress of this situation can be obtained in using space images for mapping and 
map revision. 
Also by economic reasons in areas with existing maps the use of space images can 
be important. For example the generation of digital terrain models is more expensive 
by digitizing maps than by aquisition based on space images. Space images are less 
costly like a photo flight. A morefold complete coverage by space images enables 
the investigation for time changings.