Pleiades-HR 1A1B image quality commissioning: innovative geometric calibration methods and results

摘要

Pleiades earth observing system consists of two satellites designed to provide optical 70cm resolution images to civilian and defense users. The first Pleiades satellite 1A was launched on December 2011 while the second satellite Pleiades 1B was placed on orbit, one year after, on December 2012. The calibration operations and the assessment of the image of the two satellites have been performed by CNES Image Quality team during the called commissioning phase which took place after each launch and lasted each time less than 6 months. The geometric commissioning activities consist in assessing and improving the geometric quality of the images in order to meet very demanding requirements. This paper deals with the means used and methods applied, mainly the innovative ones, in order to manage these activities. It describes both their accuracy and their operational interest. Finally it gives the main results for geometric image quality performances of the PHR system.