Types of Satellites

Principles of Remote Sensing and GIS

Presented by,

Manish kumar Kothe

Earth Resource Satellites

Earth resource satellites have the mission to monitor Earth's oceans, ice caps, and coastal regions etc. They provide systematic, repetitive global measurements of wind speed and direction, wave height, surface temperature, surface altitude, cloud cover, and atmospheric water vapor level etc.

LANDSAT Series of Satellites

NASA, with the co-operation of the U.S. Department of Interior, began a conceptual study of the feasibility of a series of Earth Resources Technology Satellites (ERTS). ERTS-1 was launched on July 23, 1972. It represented the first unmanned satellite specifically designed to acquire data about earth resources on a systematic, repetitive, medium resolution, multispectral basis. It was primarily designed as an experimental system to test that feasibility of collecting earth resources data from unmanned satellites. Just prior to the launch of ERTS-B on January 22nd 1975, NASA officially renamed the ERTS programme as "LANDSAT" programme. All subsequent satellites in the series carried the Landsat designation. So far five Landsat satellites have been launched successfully, Table highlights the characteristics of the Landsat series satellites mission. There have been four different types of sensors included in various combinations on these missions.

LANDSAT Series of Satellites Name Spectral

resolution(Band)

Spatial resolution

Scan Width Time interval Orbital Altitude

Operational Period

MSS 4(0.5-0.6) 79x79 185 18 918 Landsat 1 23/7/1992- 6/1/1978Landsat 222/1/1975-25/2/1982Landsat 35/3/1978-30/11/1982

5(0.6-0.7) 79x79 6(0.7-0.8) 79x797 (0.8-1.1) 79x79

TM B1 0.45-0.52 30x30 185 16 710 Landsat 416/7/1982-02/1983

Landsat 5 1/3/1984

B2 0.52-0.60 30x30B3 0.63-0.69 30x30B4 0.76-0.90 30x30B5 1.55-1.75 30x30B6 10.4-12.5 120x120B7 2.08-2.35 30x30

System Pour d'Observation de la Terra (SPOT)

French Government in joint programme with Sweden and Belgium undertook the development of Systeme Pour l'Observation de la Terre (SPOT) program. Conceived and designed by the French Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES)

SPOT-1 was retired from full-time services on December 31, 1990. The SPOT-2 satellite was launched on January 21, 1990, and SPOT-3 was launched on September 25, 1993 Spot 4 was launched on 26 March 1998. SPOT-1, -2 and-3 have identical orbits and sensor systems,

System Pour d'Observation de la Terra (SPOT)

SPOT XS 1 (0.50-0.59) 20m 60 (obliquescene at max 60by 81)

26 days 822 1986

  XS 2 (0.61-0.68) 20m 60 (obliquescene at max 60by 81)

26 days 822 1998

  XS 3 (0.79-0.89) 20m 60 (obliquescene at max 60by 81)

26 days 822 1990

  XS 4 (1.58-1.75) 20m 60 (obliquescene at max 60by 81)

26 days 822 1998

  Monospectral red (0.61-0.68)

10m 60 (obliquescene at max 60by 81)

26 days 822 2002

Satellite/Sensor

Bands and wavelength(µm)

SpatialResolution

Swath width (Km) Repeatcoverage

Orbitaltitude(km)

Lunching Period

INDIAN REMOTE SENSING

The Indian Space programmed has the goal of harnessing space technology for application in the areas of communications, broadcasting, meteorology and remote sensing. The important milestones crossed so far are Bhaskara-1 and 2 (1979) the experimental satellites, which carried TV Cameras and Microwave Radiometers. The Indian Remote Sensing Satellite was the next logical step towards the National operational satellites that directly generates resources information in a variety of application areas such as forestry, geology, agriculture and hydrology. IRS -1A/1B, carried Linear Self Scanning sensors LISS-I & LISS-II. IRS-P2 launched in October 1994 on PSLV-D2 (an indigenous launch vehicle). IRS-1C, launched on December 28, 1995, which carried improved sensors like LISS-III, WiFS, PAN Camera, etc. Details of IRS series platforms are given in the following section. IRS-P3 was launched into the sun synchronous orbit by another indigenous launch vehicle PSLV - D3 on 21.3.1996 from Indian launching station Sriharikota (SHAR). IRS-1D was launched on 29 September 1997 and IRS-P4 was launched on 26 May 1999.

Name Launch Sensors Types No. Of bands

Spectral range

Resolution Swath RevisitDays

IRS-1A 1988 Liss-I MS 4 72.5 148 22

Liss-II MS 4 36.25 36.25IRS-1B 1991 Liss-I MS 4 450-520 72.5 148 22

0.52-0.59

0.62-0.68

0.77-0.86 (NIR)

IRS-1C 1995 Wifs MS 2 0.62-0.68 189 810 5

24-25

0.77-0.86

Liss-III MS 3 0.52-0.59 23.6 142

148

0.62-0.68

0.77-0.86

1 1.55-1.70

Pan Pan 1 5.8 70

INDIAN REMOTE SENSING

INDIAN REMOTE SENSINGName Launch Sensors Types No. Of

bandsSpectral range

Resolution Swath(km)

RevisitDAYS

IRS -1D September - 1997

Wifs MS 2 0.62-0.68 189 774 50.77-0.86

Liss-III MS 3 0.52-0.59 23 142 24-250.62-0.68

0.77-0.86

1 1.55-1.70

Pan MS 1 6 70

IRS-P4 May-1999 OCM MS 8 0.4-0.88 360 1420 2

MSMR RADAR 4 6.6,10.65,18,21,GHz

180,80,40,& 40km

1360

IKONOS The IKONOS-2 satellite was launched in September 1999 and has been delivering commercial data since early 2000. IKONOS is the first of the next generation of high spatial resolution satellites. IKONOS data records 4 channels of multispectral data at 4-meter resolution and one panchromatic channel with 1-meter resolution. This means that IKONOS is first commercial satellite to deliver near photographic quality imagery of anywhere in the world from space

Name Launch Sensors Types No. Of bands

Spectral range

Resolution Swath(km)

RevisitDAYS

IKONOS 2 24 sept.1999

Ikonos MS 4 0.42-0.52 4 110.52-0.600.63-0690.76-0.90

Pan 1 1

IKONOS

Metrological Satellites (Weather Satellites)

The weather satellite is a type of satellite that is primarily used to monitor the weather and climate of the Earth. Metrological Satellites are of two types – 1) Polar orbiting and 2) Geostationary .

1. Polar orbiting satellites pass approximately over the poles at height of about 850kms the whole surface of the earth is observed by these satellites. Which follow the orbit nearly fixed in place. Ex. NOAA, IRS, Oceansat-1.

2. Geostationary satellites orbit around the world over the equator at height 36000kms. They complete 1 orbit in 24 hours synchronize with earth rotation about it’s own axis. thus they remain over the same location on the equator. Ex. GOES, INSAT, METOSAT.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

NOAA Satellites have the following metrological payloads.

1. Advance Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR)

AVHRR data are acquired with a wide-field scanning system that enables global coverage on a daily basis with a ground resolution of 1.1 km at nadir point (directly beneath the satellite). The sensor also provides a data stream of nominal 4-km resolution that is achieved by sampling and averaging the full resolution 1.1-km data on-board the satellite

2. TIROS Operational Vertical Sounder (TOVS)

TOVS incorporates a high resolution infrared radiation sounder. In this the atmospheric radiation in 20 IR channel and is primarily use to obtain the vertical temperature and moisture distribution in the troposphere.

3. Earths Radiation Budget (ERB)

The atmospheric motion is driven by differential absorption of solar radiation and infrared loss to space the study of Earths Radiation Budjet.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

SatelliteSensor

Bands and wavelength(µm)

SpatialResolution

Swath width

Repeatcoverage

Orbitaltitude(km)

NOAA 1 (0.58-0.68) 1.1 km 2399 Daily 833 

2 (0.725-1.10) 1.1 km 2399 Daily 833 

3 (3.55-3.93) 1.1 km 2399 Daily 833 

4 (10.3-11.3) 1.1 km 2399 Daily 833 

5 (11.5-12.5) 1.1 km 2399 Daily 833

GOES (Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite)

The GOES is design by NASA. Two GOES satellites, placed in geostationary orbits 36000 km above the equator, each view approximately one-third of the Earth. One is situated at 75°W longitude and monitors North and South America and most of the Atlantic Ocean. The other is situated at 135°W longitude and monitors North America and the Pacific Ocean basin. Together they cover from 20°W to 165°E longitude.

Two generations of GOES satellites have been launched, each measuring emitted and reflected radiation from which atmospheric temperature, winds, moisture, and cloud cover can be derived. The first generation of satellites consisted of GOES-1 (launched 1975) through GOES-7 (launched 1992). Due to their design, these satellites were capable of viewing the Earth only a small percentage of the time (approximately five per cent). The second generation of satellites began with GOES-8 (launched 1994) and has numerous technological improvements over the first series.

Visible Light Image Water Vapour Image

The Indian National Satellites (INSAT)

INSAT is a series of multi-purpose geo-stationary satellites launched by ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) to satisfy the telecommunications, broadcasting, meteorology and search and rescue operations.These satellites have the Very High resolution Radiometer

(VHRR), CCD Cameras for metrological imaging.INSAT is the joint venture of the Department of Space,

Department of Telecommunications, India Meteorological Department, All India Radio and Doordarshan.

INSAT is the largest domestic communication system in Asia Pacific Region.

The Indian National Satellites (INSAT)1. INSAT-2E2. INSAT-3A3. INSAT-3C4. INSAT-3D5. INSAT-4A

6. INSAT-4B7. INSAT-4CR8. GSAT-8 / INSAT-4G9. GSAT-1210. GSAT-1011. GSAT-16

INSAT – 2E INSAT - 3A

Launched in April 1999, positioned at 83 degree east longitude. It carries payloads include 17 C-Band and lower extended C-Band transponders.

Some of them are:

Launched in April 2003, positioned at 93.5 degree east longitude. It carries payloads include 12 C-Band transponders, 6 lower extended C-Band transponders and 6 Ku transponders.

Satellites in Service (Cont..)

INSAT – 3D

Launched in Jan. 2002, positioned at 74 degree east longitude. It carries payloads include 24 normal C-band transponders, 6 extended C-Band transponders and 2 S-band transponders.

Launched in July 2013, positioned at 82 degree east longitude. It carries payloads include imager, sounder, data relay transponder and research and rescue transponder.

INSAT – 3C

INSAT – 3E

Launched in Sept. 2003, positioned at 55 degree east longitude. It carries payloads include 24 normal C-band transponders and12 extended C-Band transponders.

It is an exclusive meteorological satellite launched by PSLV in Sept. 2002. It carries VHRR and DRT payloads to provide meteorological services. It is located at 74 degree East longitude.

KALPANA – 1

INSAT System INSAT system ushered in a

revolution in India’s television and radio broadcasting, telecommunications and metrological sectors.

The first successfully launched INSAT is INSAT-1B in august 1983.

These satellites are monitored and master control facilities that exist in Hassan and Bhopal.

INSAT-1B

Kalpana-1

MetSat-1 is ISRO's first dedicated GEO Weather satellite project built by ISRO

Feb.6,2003, the MetSat-1 satellite of ISRO was renamed to 

Kalpana-1 meteorological services had been combined with

telecommunication and television services in the INSAT series

Thank You!!..

Yours Manish.s.k