Earth observation satellites monitor Earth from orbit and are used for environmental monitoring, meteorology, and terrain mapping. The ASTER satellite collects visible, near infrared, and thermal infrared imagery at 15-90m resolution for monitoring clouds, glaciers, land, temperature, sea ice, and snow cover. Landsat-8 collects operational land imagery and thermal data at 30-90m resolution for uses including oceanography, vegetation, and biomass mapping. SPOT-5 collects high resolution geometric data at 5-20m for environmental assessment, agriculture, and marine studies.

1. EARTH
OBSERVATION
SATELLITES

2. Earth observation
satellites are satellites
specifically designed to
observe Earth from
orbit.
Earth-observation satellites
help us monitor and protect
our environment, manage our
resources

3. Uses:
1. Environmental monitoring
2. Meteorology
3. Mapping of terrain

4. ASTER
•Advanced Spaceborne Thermal Emission And Reflection Radiometer
•Government of Japan and NASA
•One of the 5 payloads on the Terra Satellite
Terra (EOS AM-1)

5. ASTER
Uses:
Cloud cover
Glaciers
Land
Temperature
Sea ice
Snow cover
Launch Date:
18 ,
December
1999
705
km
98.8
min
16 days VNIR
(visible
Near
Infrared)
SWIR
(short
wave
Infrared)
TIR
(Thermal
Infrared)
3
6
5
15x15m
30x30m
90x90m
8 bit
8 bit
12 bit
60km
60km
60km
±
8.55°
±
8.55°
± 24°
Name Altitude Orbital Temporal Sensor # of Spatial Quant- Swath off
period Res. Bands Res. Titization nadir

6. Visible and Near infrared Short wave infrared
Thermal infrared
ASTER IMAGES

7. False color image of a volcanic
eruption and the direction of flow of
ash

8. Landsat-8
•NASA and USGS
•The most recent satellite added to the landsat program

9. Name Altitude Orbital Temporal Sensor # of Spatial Quant- Swath off
period Res. Bands Res. Titization nadir
Landsat-8
Uses:
Oceano-
graph
Aerosols
Vegetation
Types
Thermal
Mapping
Biomass
Content
Cloud Cover
Launch date:
Feb 11,2013
705
km
99
min
16 days OLI
(Operati-
onal
Land
Imager)
Push
broom
TIR
(Thermal
Infrared)
Push
broom
9
2
30x30m
M.S
15x15m
pan
90x90m
TI
12 bit
12 bit
185
km
185
km
± 15°
± 15°

10. Shrinkage of the Araj Sea from 1977-2010 due to diversion of water for agricultural use.

11. SPOT-5
•Satellite Pour L’observation de la terre
•CNES
National Center for Space studies,French Space Agency

12. Name Altitude Orbital Temporal Sensor # of Spatial Quant- Swath off
period Res. Bands Res. Titization nadir
SPOT-5
Uses:
Environment-
al
Assessment
Agriculture
Marine
Studies
Launch date:
May 3,
2002
822
km
101.4
min
26 days HGR
(High
Resolution
Geometric
Instrument)
4 10x10m
M.S
20x20
MIR
5x5m
pan
8 bit 60
km
± 27°

13. Landsat-7
• NASA and USGS
•Seventh satellite of the Landsat program

14. Name Altitude Orbital Temporal Sensor # of Spatial Quant- Swath off
period Res. Bands Res. Titization nadir
Landsat-7
Uses:
Oceano-
graph
Vegetation
Types
Mineral
Deposit
Identification
Launch date:
April 15,1999
705
km
99
min
16 days ETM+
(Enhanch
-ed
Thematic
Mapper)
Whisk
broom
8 30x30m
M.S
60x60m
thermal
15x15m
pan
8 bit 183
km
No
off
nadir
View-
ing