Remote sensing in the information age

A large percentage of the public today perceives the majority of applications of Earth observation data from satellite and aircraft altitudes to be focused on the understanding and management of the renewable and non-renewable resources of the Earth and its environment. Originally conceived as a tool for gathering intelligence information, remote sensing has just fully emerged from its military womb to the public domain. Advances in the technology, a variety of indirect benefits that could be derived from space exploration, commercialization of remote sensing and the drive of the value-added companies - all of these hold promise for new opportunities for many other novel applications of Earth observation data and related information. In the advent of the more advanced, user-friendly, cost effective, and problem solving operations being championed by the private sector, particularly in the industrialized countries, it appears that the commercial future for remote sensing programmes and related information generated in the process is promising. This paper examines how the information age is influencing the metamorphosis of remote sensing technology particularly through international legal instruments and converging technologies. In spite of the progress attained to-date, of international concern is possible radio frequency interference between remote sensing satellite and communication satellite services. There is also a major knowledge gap between the providers of raw remote sensing data and the user community, particularly those interested in the new high-level information. A resolution of these issues will enhance the contributions of remote sensing to the information economy.     

Developing countries and remote sensing: how intergovernmental factors impede progress

Developing countries lag significantly behind more advanced nations in the local adoption and application of satellite remote sensing technology. Narrowing this gap through appropriate international cooperation is, however, often constrained by national interests and priorities. The paper presents an overview of several of these inter-governmental constraints using as its main basis the outcomes of recent regional and international conferences hosted by the United Nations. Future enhancement of international cooperation in remote sensing will occur best within settings where both developing and technologically advanced countries are sensitive and responsive to each other's concerns.     

Space technology in developing nations: an assessment

Space technology can make an immense contribution to solving the problems of the world as a whole, and the developing nations in particular. This report summarizes the use of satellites by developing countries in the fields of communications, remote sensing, disaster management and space science. India and China, in particular, have built up impressive capabilities in several of these areas, but the great majority of developing countries still do not have access to this technology. The author addresses a number of proposals to the international community for bringing the satellite revolution to the developing world.     

An ISY policy for developing and newly industrialized countries

One state policy for International Space Year (ISY) is to pay special attention to the needs of developing countries while planning ISY activities. This article provides a historical context for assessing ISY as an opportunity to turn this policy into practice. A survey of experts involved in ISY planning was undertaken and the results include six recommendations for overcoming the obstacles to developing countries' full participation in ISY: (1) funding from international organizations and national foreign assistance agencies must increase substantially; (2) more attention must be given to improving the flow of information and communication about ISY; (3) education and training opportunities must be made available to a wide audience of developing country participants; (4) steps must be taken now to relieve the political and socioeconomic tensions that exist between North and South, particularly as they relate to ISY; (5) inadequacies in infrastructure must be considered; and (6) data-related obstacles must be examined.     

航天遥感科学技术的发展

简要说明了航天遥感和航天遥感系统的概念和组成,特别对航天光学遥感成像链、成像系统和遥感系统的概念和组成做了论述,重点介绍了航天遥感科学技术的发展现状和发展方向,同时提出了发展我国航天遥感科学技术的若干建议。     

Current policy issues in remote sensing: report by the International Policy Advisory Committee of ISPRS

The role of remote sensing in promoting sustainable development, its general benefits and easing access to remotely sensed images, especially for developing countries, have all been examined by the International Policy Advisory Committee of the ISPRS in 2003. This report, a slightly revised version of an article that appears in the September 2003 issue of the ISPRS's Highlights magazine, presents the committee's findings and recommendations.     

国外地球同步轨道遥感卫星发展初步研究

地球同步轨道遥感卫星因具备高时效性及持续探测能力等优势,已成为当前国际遥感卫星领域一个重要的发展方向。文章围绕地球同步轨道遥感卫星,重点针对光学、微波、电子侦察等国际地球同步轨道遥感卫星及卫星平台发展动态、发展趋势开展了调研与分析,梳理出国际发展情况对中国地球同步轨道遥感卫星领域发展的启示。文章从地球同步轨道遥感卫星领域发展战略的高度,进一步提出支撑该领域发展需重点突破的关键技术。     

Outer space exploitability: International law and developing nations

This article outlines the principles upon which international space law is based. Space law has been successful so far in benefiting the developing countries without hampering the spacefaring nations. The principal treaty provisions that are of special interest to developing nations are discussed, and issues associated with remote sensing, communications and environmental harms are examined in detail. Since 1967 there has been a sharp change in the focus of legal concern towards ‘taking into account the particular needs of developing countries’, a principle that will be central to arrangements for the equitable sharing of the benefits of exploiting the space environment and its natural resources.     

国外深空探测光学遥感载荷发展现状与启示

文章对国外近十几年来的深空探测光学遥感载荷的发展情况进行了介绍,并按科学目标进行了分类。总结了深空探测光学遥感载荷的发展趋势与启示,为深空探测光学遥感载荷的发展提出了几点建议。     

我国卫星光学遥感技术的成就与新世纪展望

介绍我国已发射的光学型对地观测卫星和研制成功的航天光学遥感器 ,展示中国在卫星遥感领域取得的成就 ,并展望新世纪卫星光学遥感技术的发展     

MTFC在光学遥感成像系统优化设计中的应用研究

图像处理作为成像链路的重要组成部分,是系统优化设计不得不考虑的一个环节,其中调制传递函数补尝(MTFC)是当今研究的热点,在遥感成像系统优化设计中发挥着重要作用。如果综合应用地面MTFC的能力,对遥感器进行优化设计,则可以大大减轻遥感器的研制难度、节约成本和缩短研制周期。该文对MTFC在光学遥感成像系统优化设计中的应用进行了一些探讨。     

A framework for evaluating national space activity

Space technology and resources are used around the world to address societal challenges. Space provides valuable satellite services, unique scientific discoveries, surprising technology applications and new economic opportunities. Many developing countries formally recognize the advantages of space resources and pursue national level activity to harness them. There is limited data or documentation on the space activities of developing countries. Meanwhile, traditional approaches to summarize national space activity do not necessarily capture the types of activity that developing countries pursue in space. This is especially true if they do not have a formal national space program or office. Developing countries pursue national space activity through activities of many types—from national satellite programs to commercial use of satellite services to involvement with international space institutions. This research aims to understand and analyze these trends. This paper introduces two analytical frameworks for evaluating space activity at the national level. The frameworks are specifically designed to capture the activity of countries that have traditionally been less involved in space. They take a broad view of space related activity across multiple societal sectors and disciplines. The discussion explains the approach for using the frameworks as well as illustrative examples of how they can be applied as part of a research process. The first framework is called the Mission and Management Ladders. This framework considers specific space projects within countries and ranks them on “Ladders” that measure technical challenge and managerial autonomy. This first method is at a micro level of analysis. The second framework is called the Space Participation Metric (SPM). The SPM can be used to assign a Space Participation score to countries based on their involvement in various space related activities. This second method uses a macro level of analysis. The authors developed both frameworks as part of a long term research program about the space activities of developing countries. This aspect of the research focuses on harnessing multiple techniques to summarize complex, multi-disciplinary information about global space activity.     

卫星遥感与海洋地质调查

中国迫切需要应用航天工业的新技术、新方法 ,特别是应用卫星遥感技术进行海洋国土资源调查 ,研究和发射可以不断获取海洋地质调查新资料的遥感卫星已成为当务之急。     

遥感卫星平台与载荷一体化构型

随着遥感卫星制造技术的不断提高,高精度、高敏捷性、低成本遥感卫星的需求日益强烈。平台与载荷一体化设计是未来高精度、高敏捷性、低成本遥感卫星发展的重要方向之一,平台与载荷一体化构型设计是平台与载荷一体化遥感卫星的关键。目前已有多颗平台与载荷一体化构型的遥感卫星在轨飞行,中国尚处于起步阶段。文章分析了平台与载荷一体化设计的遥感卫星构型;从提高图像定位精度、降低卫星质量、降低建造成本等方面,分析了平台与载荷一体化构型的优势;对载荷设计需具有整星级优化理念、载荷需提供多种接口、平台与载荷间具有强耦合关系等一体化构型的特点进行了总结;给出了一体化构型的建议,如整星形状设计、主承力结构设计、大型部件布局等。     

敏捷遥感卫星工作模式研究

综述了国外商业遥感卫星发展情况,归纳总结了高分辨率商业卫星的主要技术指标和特点。在充分调研国外敏捷遥感卫星的基础上,从成像目标需求、分辨率与幅宽关系、立体成像三方面总结出此类卫星的技术特点,阐述了发展敏捷遥感卫星的重要意义和作用,并深入分析了实现姿态敏捷控制的技术途径。利用姿态的敏捷控制能力,研究提出了多点目标成像、立体成像、宽幅拼接成像、动态扫描成像等4种典型工作模式,完成了敏捷卫星主要工作模式的分析与设计,并基于此工作模式要求,提出了敏捷卫星工程实现的技术途径。     

卫星遥感数据的浏览查询技术

遥感卫星图像数据的预处理包括数据编目、存档管理、浏览查询和产品生产等部分。其中，浏览查询是向遥感数据的用户提供查询和检索卫星原始数据各级产品数据的手段，浏览查询系统的功能和性能直接影响到遥感数据的使用效率。本文介绍了新一代高码速率遥感卫星地面数据处理中浏览查询系统研制的主要技术。本文所研究的浏览查询技术已成功的运用到资源二号遥感卫星地面站的数据处理系统中。本文论述的数据处理技术将为其它遥感卫星地面数据处理系统的研制提供重要的帮助。     

Security implications of remote sensing

Major technical advances in remote sensing have developed sophisticated systems with both extensive military and civilian applications. Not only the USA and USSR, but a growing number of other countries such as China, France, India and Japan are actively engaged in remote-sensing R&D. This article reviews the capabilities of civilian satellite technologies and programmes of various nations, and examines the implications for national and international security. Many states are concerned about the commercial availability of data on their economic resources and national security-related activities. A particular problem is the possible misinterpretation of remotely-sensed data.     

Stepping stones toward global space exploration

Several nations are currently engaging in or planning for robotic and human space exploration programs that target the Moon, Mars and near-Earth asteroids. These ambitious plans to build new space infrastructures, transport systems and space probes will require international cooperation if they are to be sustainable and affordable. Partnerships must involve not only established space powers, but also emerging space nations and developing countries; the participation of these new space actors will provide a bottom-up support structure that will aid program continuity, generate more active members in the space community, and increase public awareness of space activities in both developed and developing countries. The integration of many stakeholders into a global space exploration program represents a crucial element securing political and programmatic stability. How can the evolving space community learn to cooperate on a truly international level while engaging emerging space nations and developing countries in a meaningful way? We propose a stepping stone approach toward a global space exploration program, featuring three major elements: (1) an international Earth-based field research program preparing for planetary exploration, (2) enhanced exploitation of the International Space Station (ISS) enabling exploration and (3) a worldwide CubeSat program supporting exploration. An international Earth-based field research program can serve as a truly global exploration testbed that allows both established and new space actors to gain valuable experience by working together to prepare for future planetary exploration missions. Securing greater exploitation of the ISS is a logical step during its prolonged lifetime; ISS experiments, partnerships and legal frameworks are valuable foundations for exploration beyond low Earth orbit. Cooperation involving small, low-cost missions could be a major stride toward exciting and meaningful participation from emerging space nations and developing countries. For each of these three proposed stepping stones, recommendations for coordination mechanisms are presented.     

Public good or commercial opportunity? Case studies in remote sensing commercialization

The US government is once again attempting to commercialize the Landsat program and is asking the private sector to develop a next-generation mid-resolution remote sensing system that will provide continuity with the thirty-year data archive of Landsat data. Much of the case for commercializing the Landsat program rests on the apparently successful commercialization of high-resolution remote sensing activities coupled with the belief that conditions have changed since the failed attempt to commercialize Landsat in the 1980s. This paper analyzes the economic, political and technical conditions that prevailed in the 1980s as well as conditions that might account for the apparent success of the emerging high-resolution remote sensing industry today. Lessons are gleaned for the future of the Landsat program.     

星载主动遥感气溶胶-云参数技术需求与进展

面对越来越迫切的气象和气候预测及大气环境监测需求,利用主动星载仪器在全球范围内探测云和气溶胶参数成为快速发展的研究领域。相比被动遥感仪器,主动仪器可以获取云和气溶胶参数的垂直分布信息,这将在天气气候模式的改进方面发挥重要作用。通过云和气溶胶遥感需求分析,从雷达数据应用角度,首先介绍了数值模式对云和气溶胶的科学参数需求和定量需求,进一步分析了云和气溶胶联合观测的需求,以及星载微波激光雷达的探测特点;然后对国内外正在规划的星载云和气溶胶微波激光雷达探测任务进行了综述,包括仪器指标和数据产品设计;最后展望这一领域的应用前景。