Earth observation using low cost micro/minisatellites

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) at the University of Surrey (UK) has pioneered cost-effective satellite engineering techniques for smaller, faster, cheaper satellites to provide affordable access to space. SSTL has designed, built, launched and operated a series of twelve 50kg microsatellites in low Earth orbit which carry a wide range of satellite communications, space science, remote sensing and in-orbit technology demonstration payloads — for both civil and military applications. Each of these has been built and launched for around US$3M. This paper reviews SSTL's remote sensing capabilities and presents image results from the microsatellite cameras in low Earth in orbit. The latest microsatellites (TMSAT & FASat-Bravo) under construction at SSTL and due for launch in mid-1997 will provide 3-band multispectral imaging with 80-metre resolution; autonomous on-board image analysis, processing and compression prior to transmission direct to ground-based users employing small portable terminals.