jSPRS Workshop on Service and Application of Spatial Data Infrastructure. XXXVK4/W6). Oct. 14-16, Hangzhou, China 
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USE OF COMMERCIAL REMOTE SENSING SATELLITE DATA IN SUPPORT OF 
EMERGENCY RESPONSE 
S. W. Doescher 3 , R. Ristyb, R.H. Sunne b 
a U. S. Geological Survey, National Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux 
Falls , SD 57198 - doescher@usgs.gov 
b Science Applications International Corporation, 47914 252nd Street, Sioux Falls, SD 57198 (risty, sunne)@usgs.gov 
KEYWORDS: Emergency Response, Hazards, Disaster, Remote Sensing, Satellite Imagery 
ABSTRACT: 
Natural disasters are constant reminders of the how powerful nature can be. The effects of these disasters can be devastating. The 
Emergency Response team from the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) National Center for Earth Resources Observation and Science 
(EROS) has provided remote sensing data to support disaster operations for hurricanes, earthquakes, and recently, the Southeast Asia 
tsunami. Landsat data are helpful for wide-area damage assessment and recovery. With the arrival of new-generation, high-spatial- 
resolution satellite imagery from commercial data providers, 1 meter spatial coverage is available to provide more detailed planning 
and recovery efforts. Unfortunately, the cost and licensing of commercial data makes the use cost prohibitive for large disasters. The 
U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy has enabled the use of commercial remote sensing data for civilian government 
agencies. The broad licensing of the data through USGS contracts enables the sharing of commercial satellite data for a greatly 
reduced cost. The recent tsunami disaster enabled the sharing of data among relief organizations to determine the extent of the 
damage and to aid in recovery efforts. This disaster also highlighted the need for better coordination of Earth observation data 
provided by countries and organizations. The lack of coordination resulted in discussions at a Committee on Earth Observation 
Satellites (CEOS) meeting as to how best to respond to the next disaster. 
1. INTRODUCTION 
Vital national security, foreign policy, economic, and civil 
interests depend on the ability of the United States to remotely 
sense Earth from space. U. S. civil remote sensing systems 
enable such activities as research on local, regional, and global 
change. Support services and data products are provided for 
weather, climate, hazard response, agriculture, transportation, 
and infrastructure planning. This paper emphasizes the 
complementary role of commercial data and government in 
response to international emergencies. 
A robust commercial remote sensing space industry can 
augment and potentially replace some government remote 
sensing capabilities and can contribute to U.S. military, 
intelligence, foreign policy, homeland security, and civil 
objectives, as well as economic competitiveness. Continued 
development and advancement of commercial remote sensing 
space capabilities is also essential to sustaining the nation’s 
advantage in collecting information from space. Creating a 
robust commercial remote sensing industry requires enhancing 
the international competitiveness of the industry. 
On April 25, 2005 the President of the United States authorized 
the U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Policy, which established 
guidance and implementation actions for commercial remote 
sensing space capabilities. This policy supersedes Presidential 
Directive 23, U.S. Policy on Foreign Access to Remote Sensing 
Space Capabilities, dated March 9, 1994. The new policy 
provides guidance for: 
• The licensing and operation of U.S. commercial 
remote sensing space systems. 
• U.S. Government use of commercial remote sensing 
space capabilities. 
• Foreign access to U.S. commercial remote sensing 
space capabilities. 
• Govemment-to-government intelligence, defense, and 
foreign policy relationships involving U.S. 
commercial remote sensing space capabilities. 
The fundamental goal of the Commercial Remote Sensing 
Space Policy is to advance and protect national security and 
foreign interests by maintaining the nation's leadership in 
remote sensing space activities and by sustaining and enhancing 
the remote sensing industry. Doing so will foster economic 
growth, contribute to environmental stewardship, and enable 
scientific and technological excellence. In support of this goal, 
the U.S. Government will: 
• Rely to the maximum practical extent on commercial 
remote sensing space capabilities for filling imagery 
and geospatial needs for military, intelligence, foreign 
policy, homeland security, and civil users. 
• Focus government remote sensing space systems on 
meeting needs that cannot be effectively, affordably, 
and reliably satisfied by commercial providers 
because of economic factors, civil mission needs, 
national security concerns, or foreign policy concerns. 
• Develop a long-term, sustainable relationship between 
the government and the commercial remote sensing 
space industry. 
• Provide a timely and responsive regulatory 
environment for licensing the operations and exports 
of commercial remote sensing space systems. 
• Enable industry to compete successfully as a provider 
of remote sensing space capabilities for foreign 
government and foreign commercial users, while 
ensuring appropriate measures are implemented to 
protect national security and foreign policy. 
The U.S. Commercial Remote Sensing Space Policy assigns 
certain responsibilities to Federal civil agencies. The 
Department of Commerce, the Department of the Interior, and