4 replies to this topic

[Ankush]

http://news.ft.com/c...000e2511c8.html

India will tomorrow inaugurate a new launch pad at its Satish Dhawan space port near Chennai, on the south-east coast, by putting the world's first stereographic mapping satellite into orbit.
...
The most innovative feature of the 1.6-tonne Cartosat-1 is its pair of cameras, which will give stereo images of the earth's surface that can distinguish features down to 2.5 metres across. They will directly generate three-dimensional maps that have until now been achievable only indirectly, by combining data from a large number of satellite passes over the same place.
...
Isro's work is not commercially driven, Mr Nair makes clear: “Our main mission is to make high technology serve society and poor people in particular.”

I'm assuming that this means that the data, maps, and photos will be published in the open.

[ELeFevre]

"The most innovative feature of the 1.6-tonne Cartosat-1 is its pair of cameras, which will give stereo images of the earth's surface that can distinguish features down to 2.5 metres across. They will directly generate three-dimensional maps that have until now been achievable only indirectly, by combining data from a large number of satellite passes over the same place".

Is this similar to the SPOT-5 along-track HRS sensor? From my understanding, SPOT 5 HRS can also generate stereo pairs on a single pass (orbit) by sensing in a forward direction and then by imaging backwards at the same location. I'm guessing then, that the primary difference is Cartosat-1 captures both images at the same time. There's no lag time. What does this difference equate to in terms of processing time and quality compared with SPOT-5?

Also, considering the laborious task of creating a stereo image from photos and whiskbroom (across track) imagery, as well as the limited number of satellite sensors providing along-track stereo imagery (SPOT, Aviris, Ikonos, others?) this is going to make a lot of people happy. Maybe the price on this type of data will start to come down.

Good job India!

p.s. Ankush, Welcome to the forum!

[Martin Gamache]

India will tomorrow inaugurate a new launch pad at its Satish Dhawan space port near Chennai, on the south-east coast, by putting the world's first stereographic mapping satellite into orbit.
...

TERRA´s ASTER instrument has been doing this at a 15m resolution since 2000. Additionally ASTER data is almost free ($55 a scene) and also captures data simultaneously witha pair of sensors.

[Kartograph]

At least Space Imaging seems to take money for Cartosat-1 Data.



http://www10.giscafe...rticleid=180168

DENVER, May 4 /PRNewswire/ -- Space Imaging announced today it will soon offer satellite ground station access and sell imagery from Indian Space Research Organization's (ISRO) newest satellite CARTOSAT-1 (P-5). Space Imaging has an exclusive sales and marketing agreement through 2010 with Antrix Corp., a division of the ISRO, which covers worldwide rights to sell imagery outside of India. The agreement covers sale of imagery and direct ground station access to the CARTOSAT-1, RESOURCESAT-1 and the Indian Remote Sensing (IRS) 1-C and 1-D satellites.

To me that implies outside of India the Data won´t be free.

Greetings,

Andreas

[ELeFevre]

To me that implies outside of India the Data won´t be free.

That seems to be the case for most or all of the data coming from India.