11/29/2017

Sensors, Platforms and

Systems

GsE 189 Remote Sensing: Theory and Applications

1
Lecturer: Ayin M. Tamondong

Outline

I. Sensor and Platform Defined

III. Sensor Categories
IV. Types of Orbit Patterns
V. Remote Sensing Systems Categories
VI. Common Scanning Modes
VII. Resolution of Digital Images
VIII. Satellite Sensor Characteristics

2
2

1
 11/29/2017

Sensor vs. Platform

SENSOR PLATFORM
 It refers to the  It is the type of
instrument or device vehicle that supports
that makes the or carries the sensor.
measurement.  Satellite, Space shuttle,
 Radiometer, Spectrometer, Airplane, Helicopter,
Sounder, Interferometer, Balloon, Ship
Synthetic Aperture Radar,
Altimeter, Lidar, Scanner,
Spectroradiometer

Remote Sensing: A Layered System

PLATFORMS

2
 11/29/2017

Sensor Categories
I. Based on the Utilized Electromagnetic
Spectrum
A. Optical
B. Infrared
C. Microwave

II. Based on the Source of Energy Used for

Illumination
A. Passive
B. Active

TYPES OF ORBIT PATTERNS

I. Geostationary/Geosynchronous Orbit

A satellite in this orbit lies on the plane of

the Earth’s equator and travels at the same
angular velocity or is synchronous with the
rotation of the Earth such that it has a
constant view of a part of the Earth at all
times.
The satellite appears stationary with
respect to the Earth's surface.

Examples:
Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellite (US) 7
Geostationary Meteorological Satellite (Japan)

3
 11/29/2017

TYPES OF ORBIT PATTERNS

II. Polar/Sun-synchronous
The satellite is moving around the Earth’s poles from north to south
across the sky. Most satellites do not orbit in a true north-to-south
direction but in an orbit that is inclined from 8 to 10 degrees. As a result,
it passes over the same point only after several days.

Examples: Landsat (United States); SPOT (France)

Comparison of Geostationary and Polar Orbits

4
 11/29/2017

Comparison of Geostationary and Polar

Orbits

10

Remote Sensing Systems:

Two major categories
I. Framing System
Instantaneously acquire
an image of an area, or
frame, on the terrain
Examples are cameras
and vidicons
 Vidicon is a type of
television camera that
records the image on a
photosensitive electronically
charged surface

11

5
 11/29/2017

Remote Sensing
Systems: II. Scanning System
Two Major Categories Employs a sensor with
a narrow field of
view (IFOV) that
sweeps over the
terrain to build up
and produce a
two-dimensional
image of the
surface.
Reflected radiance
from the surface is
optically scanned
and electronically
recorded.
12

Common Scanning Modes

I. Across/Cross-track Scanning
Scan the Earth in a series of lines, the lines are oriented perpendicular to the
direction of motion of the sensor platform (across the swath).
Each line is scanned from one side of the sensor to the other, using a rotating
mirror (A).
Also called “Whiskbroom Scanning”

13

6
 11/29/2017

Common Scanning Modes

II. Along-track Scanning
Use the forward motion of
the platform to record
successive scan lines and
build up a two-dimensional
image, perpendicular to the
flight direction.
Instead of a scanning mirror,
they use a linear array of
detectors (A) located at the
focal plane of the image (B)
formed by lens systems (C),
which are "pushed" along in Also referred to as “pushbroom
the flight track direction scanners”, as the motion of the
(along track). detector array is analogous to the
bristles of a broom being pushed
along a floor. 14

Pushbroom Scanning: Advantages

 Increase life of sensor
 Eliminates geometric errors due to
variation in scan mirror velocity
 Longer dwell times
 Increase Signal-to-Noise Ratio

15

7
 11/29/2017

Common Scanning Modes

III. Circular Scanning

The scan motor and mirror are mounted with a vertical axis
of rotation that sweeps a circular path on the terrain.

Advantage: Distance between the scanner and terrain is

constant.

Disadvantage: Circular scan data requires extensive

reformatting prior to processing.

16

Common Scanning Modes

IV. Side Scanning

The scanning mode
primarily used by active
remote sensing systems.

17

8
 11/29/2017

Comparison of Systems

18

1. Spatial Resolution
2. Spectral Resolution
3. Radiometric Resolution
4. Temporal Resolution

Often, there is a tradeoff between the different types

of resolution

9
 11/29/2017

 Ability of imaging system to record fine detail in a

distinguishable manner
 Practical limit to level of detail possible from aerial/satellite
image
 Limit defined as “resolution”
 Image detail also affected by character of scene,
atmospheric conditions, illumination, experience and
ability of interpreter

 Fineness of spatial detail visible in the image

 It refers to the size of the smallest object that can be
resolved on the ground
 In a digital image, the spatial resolution is limited by the
pixel size

High spatial resolution: 0.6 - 4 m

Medium spatial resolution: 4 - 30 m
Low spatial resolution: 30 - > 1000 m

10
 11/29/2017

 Ability of sensor to define fine wavelength intervals

 Refers to the specific wavelength intervals in the
electromagnetic spectrum that a sensor can record

High : 220
Medium : 3 - 15 bands
Low : 3 bands

11
 11/29/2017

 A multispectral image – consists of a few image layers,

each representing an image acquired at a particular
wavelength band
 A superspectral image – consists of images with many
more wavelength bands acquired by more recent sensors
 A hyperspectral image – consists of about a hundred or
more contiguous spectral bands

12
 11/29/2017

 Ability of sensor to record many levels of brightness

 Refers to the smallest change in intensity level that can be
detected by the sensing system
 The sensitivity the sensor has for recording variations in the
EM Spectrum
 Coarse radiometric resolution – record scene using only few
brightness levels or few bits (e.g., 8 bit  28 BVs (0-255)
 Landsat 8: 12-bit (4096 levels)

1-bit quantization 2-bit quantization 3-bit quantization

(2 levels) (4 levels) (8 levels)

4-bit quantization 6-bit quantization 8-bit quantization

(16 levels) (64 levels) (256 levels)

13
 11/29/2017

GRAYSCALE

 The temporal resolution specifies the revisiting frequency of a

satellite sensor for a specific location.
High temporal resolution: < 24 hours - 3 days
Medium temporal resolution: 4 - 16 days
Low temporal resolution: > 16 days

 Examples: (revisit time)

 Landsat-7/8 16 days
 SPOT-5 2-3 days depending on Latitude
 IKONOSapproximately 3 days at 40° Latitude
 QuickBird 1-3.5 days depending on Latitude

14
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

First Generation (Multi-spectral)
 Landsat
 NOAA-AVHRR
 SPOT
 IRS Series

30

Landsat
 First launched in 1972
 Multi Spectral Scanner (MSS)
 4 Bands (Green, Red, NIR x 2)
 80-m ground resolution
 185-km swath
 First series (Landsats 1, 2, 3)
 Sun-synchronous, 103 minutes
 14 orbits/day
 Repetitive coverage every 18
days (252 orbits)

31

15
 11/29/2017

Landsat
 Landsat 4 Launched 1982
 Upgraded instrument -
 Landsat Thematic Mapper
(TM)
 Seven bands
 Blue, Green, Red, NIR,
SWIR x 2, TIR
 30m ground resolution
 185Km swath

32

Landsat Period of Operation

33

16
 11/29/2017

PRINCIPAL
SATELLITE LAUNCHED END OF SERVICE
SENSORS

Landsat 1 23 Jul 1972 6 Jan 1978 MSS, RBV

Landsat 2 MSS, RBV

22 Jan 1975 25 Jan 1982

Landsat 3 MSS, RBV

5 Mar 1978 3 Mar 1983

Landsat 4
15 Jul 1982 Transmission TM - Aug 1993 TM, MSS

Operational TM - Nov 2011;

Landsat 5
1 Mar 1984 Direct downlink (2012-Jan 2013); TM, MSS
Decommissioned 5 Jun 2013
Landsat 6
5 Oct 1993 Destroyed at launch ETM

Landsat 7 Scan line correction failure

15 April 1999 ETM+
31 May 2003

Landsat 8 11 Feb 2013 OLI, TIRS

34

Landsat 7 Satellite Sensor

Characteristics
 Landsat 7 was designed to last for five years, and has the capacity
to collect and transmit up to 532 images per day.
 It is in a polar, sun-synchronous orbit, meaning it scans across the
entire earth's surface.
 It takes 232 orbits, or 15 days, to do so.
 The satellite weighs 1973kg, is 4.04m long, and 2.74m in diameter.
 Unlike its predecessors, Landsat 7 has a solid state memory of
378 gigabits (roughly 100 images).
 The main instrument on board Landsat 7 is the Enhanced
Thematic Mapper Plus (ETM+).
 It's main features are:
• A panchromatic band with 15m spatial resolution
• Full aperture, 5% absolute radiometric calibration
• A thermal infrared channel with 60m spatial resolution 35

17
 11/29/2017

Landsat Satellite

36

37

18
 11/29/2017

38

39

19
 11/29/2017

40

41

20
 11/29/2017

42

Landsat 8

• USGS assumed possession of the satellite from NASA on 05/30/13

• Collecting approximately 500 new scenes every day
• New capabilities proving very popular:
• 8-10 time improvement in signal-to-noise ratio
• 12-bit quantization
• New coastal blue band (detection of water column constituents)
• New cirrus band (better cloud screening)
• Additional thermal band (more precise temperature measurements)

43

21
 11/29/2017

44

Landsat 8

45

22
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

SPOT (Systeme Pour
L’Observation De La Terre)

 French satellite launched in 1986

 Conceived by the Center
Nationale D’Etudes Spatiales
(CNES)
 First satellite system to use
linear array sensor and pointable
optics
 Two modes of operation
(panchromatic; multispectral)
 Off nadir look capability (during
passes 1 and 4 days apart)
 Stereo capability

46

Satellite Imaging Systems

SPOT 1
 Launched 21 Feb 1986
 Retired 31 Dec 1990
SPOT 2 (Launched 21 Jan 1990)
SPOT 3 (Launched 25 Sept 1993)
 Not functioning due to accident 14 Nov 1997
SPOT 4 (Launched 24 Mar 1998)
SPOT 5 (3 May 2002)
SPOT 6 (Launched 12 Sept 2012)
SPOT 7 (Launched 30 Jun 2014)

47

23
 11/29/2017

Spot-5 Satellite Sensor

Characteristics
 Launch Date May 3, 2002
 Launch Vehicle Ariane 4
 Launch Location Guiana Space Centre, Kourou, French Guiana
 Orbit Altitude 822 Km
 Orbit Inclination 98.7º, sun-synchronous
 Speed 7.4 Km/second – 26,640 Km/hour
 Equator Crossing Time 10:30 a.m. (descending node)
 Orbit Time 101.4 minutes
 Revisit Time 2-3 days depending on Latitude
 Swath Width 60 Km x 60 Km to 80 Km at nadir
 Metric Accuracy <50-m horizontal position accuracy (CE90%)
 Digitization 8 Bits
 Resolution Pan: 2.5m from 2 x 5m scenes
Pan: 5m (nadir)
MS: 10m (nadir)
SWI: 20m (nadir)
 Image Bands Pan: 480 - 710 nm
Green: 500 - 590 nm
Red: 610 - 680 nm
Near IR: 780 – 890 nm
ShortWave IR: 1,580 – 1,750 nm 48

SPOT 5 Satellite

49

24
 11/29/2017

SPOT-5 Orbit Pattern

50

51

25
 11/29/2017

Spot 6 Satellite Sensor

Characteristics
 Launch Date SPOT 6: September 12, 2012
 Design Lifetime 10 Years
 Orbit Altitude 694 Km
 Orbit sun-synchronous, 10:00 AM local time at descending node
 Period 98.79 minutes
 Revisit Time 1 day with SPOT 6 and SPOT 7 operating simultaneously
Between 1 and 3 days with only one satellite in operation
 Swath Width 60km at nadir
 Metric Accuracy 35m CE 90 without GCP within a 30°viewing angle cone
 Digitization 12 Bits
 Resolution Panchromatic: 1.5m
Multispectral 6m
 Spectral Bands Panchromatic: 0.450-0.745 µm
Blue: 0.450-0.520 µm
Green: 0.530-0.590 µm
Red: 0.625-0.695 µm
Near Infrared: 0.760-0.890 µm

52

Comparison of SPOT 5 (2.5 m) and

SPOT 6 (1.5 m) images of New York

53

26
 11/29/2017

54

55

27
 11/29/2017

Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) Satellites

 IRS 1A  IRS 1C
 4 bands  4 bands
 72m resolution  25 to 70m resolution
 148 Km swath  141 Km swath
 Launched in 1988  Launched 1996
 IRS 1B  Also PAN
 5m resolution
 36m resolution  70 Km swath
 Launched 1991  WiFS -
 1 band at 188m res.
 774 Km swath
 5 days revisit

56

Satellite Imaging Systems

Second Generation (High resolution)
 Commercial satellites
 Ikonos
 QuickBird
 OrbView
 KOMPSAT Series

57

28
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging System

New Commercial Satellites

Space Imaging
 IKONOS spacecraft
 Carterra Instrument
 Multispectral
 4 bands
 4m resolution
 Panchromatic
 one meter resolution
58

IKONOS Satellite System:

Sensor Characteristics
 Launch Date 24 September 1999
Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
 Operational Life Over 7 years
 Orbit 98.1 degree, sun synchronous
 Speed on Orbit 7.5 kilometers per second
 Speed Over the Ground 6.8 kilometers per second
 Orbit Time Around the Earth 98 minutes
 Altitude 681 kilometers
 Resolution Nadir: 0.82 meters panchromatic
3.2 meters multispectral
26° Off-Nadir 1.0 meter panchromatic
4.0 meters multispectral
 Image Swath 11.3 kilometers at nadir
13.8 kilometers at 26° off-nadir
 Equator Crossing Time Nominally 10:30 a.m. solar time
 Revisit Time Approximately 3 days at 40° latitude
 Dynamic Range 11-bits per pixel
 Image Bands Panchromatic, blue, green, red, near IR 59

29
 11/29/2017

TOKYO Bay
12 Feb 2007 60

TOKYO Bay
29 Nov 2008 61

30
 11/29/2017

62

63

31
 11/29/2017

QuickBird Satellite Sensor

Characteristics
 Launch Date October 18, 2001
 Launch Vehicle Boeing Delta II
 Launch Location Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, USA
 Orbit Altitude 450 Km
 Orbit Inclination 97.2º, sun-synchronous
 Speed 7.1 Km/second - 25,560 Km/hour
 Equator Crossing Time10:30 a.m. (descending node)
 Orbit Time 93.5 minutes
 Revisit Time 1-3.5 days depending on Latitude (30º off-nadir)
 Swath Width 16.5 Km x 16.5 Km at nadir
 Metric Accuracy 23-meter horizontal (CE90%)
 Digitization 11 bits
 Resolution Pan: 61 cm (nadir) to 72 cm (25º off-nadir)
MS: 2.44 m (nadir) to 2.88 m (25º off-nadir)
 Image Bands Pan: 450 - 900 nm
Blue: 450 - 520 nm
Green: 520 - 600 nm
Red: 630 - 690 nm
Near IR 760 - 900 nm
64

65

32
 11/29/2017

GeoEye-1
GeoEye again made history with the Sept. 6, 2008 launch of GeoEye-1—the world's
highest resolution commercial earth-imaging satellite at that time.

66

67

33
 11/29/2017

68

ALOS “Daichi”
 Advanced Land
Observing Satellite
 Sensors
 a high-resolution stereo
mapping sensor (PRISM)
 a visible and near infrared
radiometer (AVNIR-2)
 an L-band synthetic
aperture radar (PALSAR)

69

34
 11/29/2017

70

71

35
 11/29/2017

72

73

36
 11/29/2017

WorldView-1
 Launched 18 Sept 2007
 Orbit
 Altitude: 496 km.
 Type: Sun-synchronous, 10:30 am descending
node
 Period: 94.6 mins.
 Sensor band: Panchromatic

74

WorldView-2

75

37
 11/29/2017

WorldView-2

 Sensor Bands
 Panchromatic
 8 Multispectral:
4 standard colors: blue, green, red, near-IR 1
 4 new colors: coastal, yellow, red edge, near-IR 2

 Sensor Resolution
 Panchromatic: 0.46 meters at nadir
0.52 meters at 20° off-nadir
 Multispectral: 1.84 meters at nadir
2.08 meters at 20° off-nadir
76

77
Sydney Opera House, October 20, 2009

38
 11/29/2017

WorldView-2

Date of March 7, 2010

acquisition
Time of 10:45:41
acquisition
Cloud cover 0%
Product type Standard (LV2A)
and level

78

79

39
 11/29/2017

80

WorldView-3
Launched August 13, 2014

Very high-resolution
- Panchromatic 31 cm
- Visible & near-infrared 1.24 m
- Short-wave infrared 3.7 m

81

40
 11/29/2017

82

83

41
 11/29/2017

84

Resolution Comparison of
Common Satellite Sensors

85

42
 11/29/2017

86

87

43
 11/29/2017

KOMPSAT Series

• National program
• Developed and operated by KARI (Korea Aerospace Research Institute)
• Dual use : Government & commercial
• Worldwide imagery distribution by Satrec Initiative
88

89

44
 11/29/2017

KOMPSAT-2 Specifications

90

KOMPSAT-3 Specifications

91

45
 11/29/2017

KOMPSAT-5 Specifications

92

93

46
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
First Generation
 NOAA-AVHRR
 RESURS

94

Satellite Imaging Systems

NOAA-AVHRR
Advance Very High
Resolution Radiometer
 A weather satellite series
 Launched in 1978
 5 bands, 1.1Km resolution
 2700 Km swath
 Cheap satellite for global or
continental scale monitoring
95

47
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

NOAA-AVHRR
Ocean Temperature
Mapping

96

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
RESURS
 Russian satellite
marketed by Sweden
 Five bands, vis-NIR
 150m resolution
 600Km swath

97

48
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
Second generation
 TOPEX/Poseidon
 SeaWIFS

TOPEX/Poseidon made precise

measurements of the ocean surface
98
from 1992 to 2006.

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
TOPEX/Poseidon
 French/USA
oceanographic satellite
 Radar altimeter
 Measures wave height

99

49
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
SeaWIFS (Sea-Viewing Wide
Field-of-View Sensor)
Oceanographic colour image
1 August 1997
1.1 km resolution
2806 km swath

History - CZCS, MOS-1

8 bands in vis-NIR

Chlorophyll concentration
100

SeaWIFS-derived average sea surface chlorophyll for the period 1998 to 2006.
101

50
 11/29/2017

Remote Sensing
Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
Third Generation
 EOS - MODIS
 Envisat

102

Satellite Imaging Systems

Environmental Satellites
Third Generation

EOS - Earth Observation System

Moderate Resolution Imaging
Spectroradiometer
 Terra satellite (EOS-AM)
 Aqua satellite (EOS-PM)

Terra's orbit around the Earth is timed so that it passes from north to south across
the equator in the morning, while Aqua passes south to north over the equator in
the afternoon. Terra MODIS and Aqua MODIS are viewing the entire Earth's
surface every 1 to 2 days, acquiring data in 36 spectral bands, or groups of
wavelengths 103

51
 11/29/2017

Satellite Imaging
Systems

Environmental Satellites
Envisat
 Launched March 2002
 MERIS 15 band imagery
 Imaging RADAR

104

Satellite Imaging Systems

Radar Satellites
 SIR series
 ERS series
 JERS-1
 Radarsat
 Sentinel 1 & 2
 ALOS PALSAR

105

52
 11/29/2017

Imaging Systems
Airborne Systems
Advantages
 Flexible Timetable
 Resolution determined by altitude
 Large number of bands available
Disadvantages
 Cost
 Operational complexity

106

Development of a Philippine
Scientific Earth Observation
Microsatellite
.

Slides prepared by:

Joel S. Marciano Jr., Ph.D.
Professor and Program Leader
Electrical and Electronics Engineering Institute
University of the Philippines Diliman

107

53
 11/29/2017

109
http://assets.rappler.com/612F469A6EA84F6BAE882D2B94A4B421/img/5700BA4E769D4F508C5C4AE367F87CAC/timpeake
-20160427-diwata-1-deployment-001.jpg

Building Capability and Capacity through

PHL-MICROSAT

 The country currently relies on acquiring commercial

satellite imagery for manifold requirements

 Need to develop capacity through deep, intensive

study leading to the actual development of
important satellite technologies

 The PHL-MICROSAT program proposes to build,

launch and effectively utilize micro-satellite
technology for multi-spectral, high precision earth
observation
110

54
 11/29/2017

Microsatellite: what and why?

Satellite Class Mass Range
Femtosatellite 10 – 100 g
Picosatellite < 1 kg
Nanosatellite 1 – 10 kg
Microsatellite 10 – 100 kg
Small satellite 100 – 500 kg
RISING-2

Advances in
microelectronics
and computing
have led to a
new breed of
reliable and
capable smaller
satellite systems
111

Microsatellite: how?
BASELINE DESIGN
 50kg Micro-Satellite
for remote-sensing
missions
 Hokkaido University
(payload, thermal
design)
 Tohoku University
(BUS)

112

55
 11/29/2017

PHL-MICROSAT: Objectives
• To build and launch a multi-spectral high-
resolution Earth Observation Microsatellite with
high precision telescope and other relevant
payload through Filipino engineers and
scientists working with Japanese counterparts

• To investigate and implement design

enhancements on the electronic and computing
systems and payload of the microsatellite
through the local Microsatellite Research Facility
113

PHL-MICROSAT: Objectives
• To establish the ground receiving station (GRS) of
the microsatellite

• To implement data access, utilization, processing

mechanisms for the microsatellite data

• To perform calibration and validation of the

payload sensors to be carried by the microsatellite

• To develop higher level remote sensing products

from the raw microsatellite data

114

56
 11/29/2017

PHL-MICROSAT: Component
Projects

PROJECT 1: Microsatellite BUS Development (UPD-EEEI)

PROJECT 2: Ground Receiving Station for the Philippine Microsatellite
Program (DOST-ASTI)
PROJECT 3: Development of a Data Processing, Archiving, and Distribution
Sub-system for the Ground Receiving Station of the Philippine
Scientific Earth Observation Micro-Satellite (UPD-TCAGP)
PROJECT 4: Calibration and Validation of Remote Sensing Instruments for
PHL-MICROSAT (UPD-TCAGP)
PROJECT 5: Remote Sensing Product Development (UPD-IESM)

115

PHL-MICROSAT: Orbit

Altitude: 400 - 420

km from the
ground

 PHL-MICROSAT will be launched from the International

Space Station (ISS)
 It will be a Low Earth Orbit (LEO) Satellite with an estimated
altitude of 400 to 420km and a speed of around 7km/s
116

57
 11/29/2017

PHL-MICROSAT: Overview

Class: 50kg
Microsatellite

Dimensions:
550x550x350mm

Inclination: 51.6deg 117

PHL-MICROSAT: Science Mission

High Precision Telescope SMI with LCTF Wide Field Camera

Monitor changes in
Determine the extent of damages Observation of cloud
Vegetation
from disasters patterns and weather
disturbances

118
Monitor cultural and natural heritage sites Monitor ocean productivity

58
 11/29/2017

Camera’s Field of View

Spaceborne Multispectral Imager

FOV: 52x39
km

High Precision Telescope

FOV: 1.9x1.4
km
Images are taken from Google
Earth 119

http://www.rappler.com/science-nature/earth-space/135134- 120
diwata-1-first-images

59
 11/29/2017

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING.

121

60