RESEARCH ON “BEIJING 1” MICRO-SATELLITE 
IMAGE QUALITY AND LAND USE CLASSIFICATION PRECISION 
WANG Qian* 
National Geomatics Center of China, No.l Baishengcun, Zizhuyuan, Beijing, P. R. China - chinawbb@163.com 
WG 1/6 
KEY WORDS: "Beijing 1" Micro-satellite, Image quality, Land use, Classification, Precision analysis, Appraise 
ABSTRACT: 
“Beijing 1” is one Micro-satellite of the international Disaster Monitoring Constellation (DMC). It was launched successfully in 
2005, and has high-powered characteristic, such as high gaining data ability, high storage ability, high space resolution, high time 
resolution and low cost. At present it is necessary to make objective appraisal for image quality and application potential in different 
research field in order to provide beneficial reference for the satellite future design and application. In China, LUCC space-time 
database construction is one important domain in remote sensing technology application field, and mainly relied on foreign 
commercial satellite. Now “Beijing 1” Micro-satellite Image can be one kind of new data source. This paper taking LUCC as the 
application object, Researched on “Beijing 1” Micro-satellite multi-spectra Image Quality and Land Use Classification Precision. 
The main content and research method in the paper as followed: Image quality was studied through analyzing visual quality, 
spectrum characteristic and geometry correction precision, land use classification precision was studied through selecting 
characteristic variable, optimizing training sample and establishing classification template, constructing three different methods 
“Maximum Likelihood, Minimum Distance and Mahalanobis Distance” to make land use classification and appraise the 
classification precision. The research results show that: “Beijing 1” image has rich spectrum information, clear texture structure and 
good geometry performance. Image quality is fine and land use classification precision is high. Image can satisfy medium scale map 
request, can be widespread used in land use field and become the main data source that remote sensing data renews in land use 
research. 
1. INSTRUCTIONS 
“Beijing 1” is one Micro-satellite of the international Disaster 
Monitoring Constellation (DMC). It was launched successfully 
On October 27, 2005, and had high-powered characteristic, 
such as high gaining ability, high storage ability, high space 
resolution, high time resolution and low cost. “Beijing 1” 
Micro-satellite could gain multi-spectra data with 32 meter 
resolution and 600km x600km scan areas, at the same time, it 
could gain panchromatic images with 4 meter resolution and 
24kmx24km scan areas. After the entire DMC began to run, 
everyday it can provide the remote sensing images for any 
place in the world. “Beijing 1” Micro-satellite had important 
scientific value. It would change the history that China mainly 
depended on the foreign satellite remote sensing data. At 
present it is necessary to make objective appraisal for image 
quality and application potential in different research field in 
order to provide beneficial reference for the satellite future 
design and application. 
In China, LUCC space-time database construction is one 
important domain in remote sensing technology application 
field. In the past, LUCC space-time database construction in 
China mainly relied on foreign commercial satellite 
(LANDSAT). But now TM data source was in the unstable 
condition now. Therefore, searching one new data source had 
been one urgent duty. “Beijing 1” Micro-satellite Image can be 
one kind of new data source. So this paper taking LUCC as the 
application object, researched on “Beijing 1” Micro-satellite 
multi-spectra Image Quality and Land Use Classification 
Precision, aiming to accumulate experience for more 
application in difference field in future. 
2. EXPLANATION OF METHODS 
2.1 Data used 
In the research, “Beijing 1” CCD data provided by Chinese 21st 
Century Spatial Technology Application Company was used. 
Data was received on November 14, 2005. Three wave bands 
respectively were 0.52 - 0.62pm (green), 0.63 - 0.69pm, (red), 
0.76 - 0.90pm (near-infrared).The image cover scope was broad, 
including Beijing, Shijiazhuang and Tianjin. The northeast and 
northwest were mountainous areas, the southeast was Bohai Sea, 
and Beijing was located in the middle of image. Table 1 
described other information about this image. 
DataName 
Resolution 
Document size 
“Beijing 1” 
32meter 
794.49cmx562.61 cm 
Data capability 
Format 
Element 
1.00GB 
TIF 
22521x15948 element 
Tab.l Detailed situation of “Beijing 1” CCD data used in study 
Corresponding author.