High resolution remote sensing

摘要

In a series of five articles, Mark Williamson, independent space technology consultant and technical author, looks at the five key technological trends that are changing the face of the satellite industry. In the fourth of such articles, the author analyses recent improvements in the resolution of remote sensing satellites and considers the commercial ramifications of these developments. For many years it has been predicted that satellite remote sensing is, or will become, the second commercial space application after satellite communications (satcoms). The degree to which this was true in the 1990s depended on your perspective. There was much talk about commercialisation, and some action, but remote sensing was a rather poor second to satcoms.