Tag Archives: Geospatial Times

The RapidEye Constellation – A Data Continuity Plan is in the Works

Posted on February 7 2013 by Katie

RapidEye, a leader in medium-resolution, wide-area, repetitive coverage of the Earth through its constellation of five satellites announced a positive update on the health and lifespan of its satellites. In addition, Michael Oxfort has been appointed to lead the development of the company’s data continuity strategy.

“The RapidEye System has proven to be extremely robust,” commented Brian D’Souza, PhD, RapidEye’s Head of Engineering. “In August of 2008, we experienced a nearly flawless launch. After four years in orbit, the constellation continues to operate effectively, with all five satellites fully operational. Based on the current performance of the satellites and the … Read more

Back to School – Kite Aerial Photography

Posted on October 25 2012 by Admin

Kite aerial photography (KAP) is a form of small-format aerial photography (SFAP) that has been used quite often in the last several decades. Currently in vogue in the golf course management industry, it is used to monitor topography, soil erosion, drainage and vegetation growth. Researchers at Emporia State University in Kansas went to several golf courses in the state to assess problems that golf course superintendents have with course management issues. In dry regions of the state, courses have trouble allocating the water they need to keep the greens, well, green. At Southwind Country Club outside of Garden City, Kansas, … Read more

Small World – Oaxaca de Juarez, Mexico

Posted on October 24 2012 by Admin

Our Small World sticks with the Spanish dialect theme this month as we venture from Havana, Cuba to our next destination, Oaxaca, Mexico. Oaxaca is both the name of a Mexican state, as well as its capital which is this month’s focus for Small World. The state of Oaxaca resides in the southwestern portion of Mexico, surrounded by the states Guerrero, Puebla, Veracruz and Chiapas. It is also known for its beachfront property courtesy of the Pacific Ocean. The city of Oaxaca de Juarez resides in the Centro District near a valley created by the Sierra Madre del Sur and … Read more

Our Changing Landscape – Beihai, China

Posted on October 22 2012 by Admin

In this monthly feature, we span the globe to examine Our Changing Landscape with time series of medium resolution RapidEye satellite imagery. The RapidEye archive dates back to late 2008 and already contains more than 3 billion square kilometers of data. This month, we travel to the Far East and look at urban development in Beihai, China.

The RapidEye Constellation

RapidEye is a constellation of five 5-meter medium resolution satellites each offering five spectral bands of information. The RapidEye constellation offers a daily revisit time to every location on the planet with a huge footprint that is 77-km wide. The … Read more

G-FAQ – How do I Open and Color Balance RapidEye Imagery in Photoshop?

Posted on October 17 2012 by Admin

For this month’s Geospatial Frequently Asked Question (G-FAQ), I shift gears slightly from my normal approach with a primer on using a data in a commonly used software application. We have seen an increased interest in using 5-meter natural color RapidEye imagery as a back drop in movies, ads and apps for large-area coverage; however working with this data in Photoshop, a very common graphic design software package, is not as straight forward as it may seem. And when you need to get your project done yesterday, even a five minute delay is too long to wait!

As such, this … Read more

Reaching Orbit – The New SPOT 6 Satellite

Posted on October 16 2012 by Admin

Astrium-Geo has undertaken an unprecedented step by launching two self-funded satellites as a private company. SPOT 6 was launched successfully on September 9, 2012 and will be followed by its twin, SPOT 7, in the coming months.

 

 

 

 

 

There are a number of new features on these twin satellites that separate them from earlier SPOT sensors. SPOT 6 and 7 imagery can be ordered already pansharpened and orthorectified with a horizontal accuracy of 10-meter CE90. The new satellites have four multispectral bands like their predecessors; however, they will simultaneously collect panchromatic imagery with 1.5-meter resolution, which … Read more

G-FAQ – Why Can I See Some Small Objects in Imagery and Others Not?

Posted on July 19 2012 by Admin

For this month’s Geospatial Frequently Asked Question (G-FAQ), I explore the topic of spatial resolution as it relates to satellite and aerial imagery; and its impact on the objects that you can and cannot see in this data. Have you ever purchased or downloaded imagery with 1-foot pixels expecting to see a feature that was approximately two feet in diameter, for instance a small bush, only to be disappointed when you could not find the feature when you inspected the full resolution data? If you answered yes in your head just now, then this GFAQ is the article for you … Read more