Remote sensing is the study and process of detecting and observing the physical characteristics of an area by measuring radiation at a distance. Special cameras, satellites, and aircrafts collect images, replacing manual ground data collection. There are three types: active sensing produces images via its own signal, passive sensing relies on natural energy and light waves from the desired target, and microwave sensing functions as a combination of both.
Panchromatic images are captured across the visual spectrum (usually grayscale), allowing for greater spatial resolution at the expense of color differentiation. These images are single-band.
Multispectral images are comprised of several layer bands of different wavelength ranges in one location. Multispectral sensing is a passive remote sensing type, and usually measures red (R), green (G), blue (B), and/or infrared (IR).
Russia’s Shiveluch Volcano; Landsat 9 captured this image on April 15, 2023, using pan-sharpened bands (6, 5, 4) along WRS-2 Path 98 Row 21.
Hyperspectral imaging is similar to multispectral imaging in that it measures several bands of information, but differs in that it processes an image across the continuous electromagnetic spectrum. This type of imaging is not as common as panchromatic or multispectral imaging.
(MRP) is using hyperspectral remote sensing at a variety of scales to characterize rocks and soils in selected areas of Alaska
Sources/Usage: Public Domain // Credits: Raymond Kokaly, USGS
Type | Years | Bands | Spatial Res. (MS) | Spatial Res. (Pan) | Scene Size | Cost |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CORONA |
1960-1972 | 6-40 ft | $$$ | |||
Spot 1 | 1986-2003 | 3 (GR[NIR]) | 20 m x 20 m | 10 m x 10 m | 60 km |
$$$ |
Spot 2 | 1990-2009 | 3 (GR[NIR]) | 20 m x 20 m | 10 m x 10 m | 60 km | $$$ |
Spot 3 | 1993-1996 | 3 (GR[NIR]) | 20 m x 20 m | 10 m x 10 m | 60 km | $$$ |
Spot 4 | 1998-2013 | 4(GR[NIR][SWIR]) | 20 m x 20 m | 10 m x 10 m | 60 km | $$$ |
Spot-5 | 2002-2015 | 4(3,SWIR) | 10 m in multispectral mode (20 m on short wave infrared 1.58 – 1.75 µm | 2.5 to 5 m | 60 km | $$$ |
Spot-6 | 2012-2024 | 4(BGR[NIR]) | 6 m at nadir | 1.5 m at nadir | 60 km | $$$ |
Spot-7 | 2014-2024 | 4(BGR[NIR]) | 6 m at nadir | 1.5 m at nadir | 60 km | $$$ |
GeoEye-1 | 2008- | 4 | 1.64 m GSD | 0.41 m GSD | 15.2 km | $$$ |
GeoEye-2 / Worldview-4 | 2016-2019 | 4 | Nadir: 1.24 m 20° off-nadir: 1.38 m 56° Off-Nadir: 4.00 m |
Nadir: 0.31 m 20° off-nadir: 0.34 m 56° Off-Nadir: 1.00 m |
13.1 km | $$$ |
WorldView-2 | 2009- | 8 | 1.8 m GSD (2.4 m at 20º off-nadir) | 0.46 m GSD (0.52 m at 20º off-nadir) | 16.4 km | $$$ |
WorldView-3 | 2014- | 8 | Nadir: 1.24 m 20º off-nadir: 1.38 m |
Nadir: 0.31 m, 20º off-nadir: 0.34 m | 13.1 km | $$$ |
QuickBird | 2001-2015 | 4 |
2.62 m (nadir) to 2.90 m (20° off-nadir) |
65 cm (nadir) to 73 cm (20° off-nadir) |
16.8 km / 18 km - (Early 2013) | $$$ |
IKONOS | 1999-2015 | 4 | Resolution at Nadir 3.28 m | Resolution at Nadir 0.80 m | 11.3 km at nadir; 13.8 km at 26° off-nadir | free |
Pleiades-1A/1B | 2011- | 4 | 2 m | 50 cm panchromatic 50 cm color (pansharpened) |
20 km | $$$ |
Landsat 4-5 TM | 1982-2012 | 7 | 30 | 185 km |
free |
|
Landsat 4-5 MSS | 1972-2013 | 4 | 79 km | 185 km | free | |
Landsat 7 ETM + | 1999- | 8 | 30 m VNIR/SWIR 60 m TIR |
15 m | 185 km | free |
Landsat 8 | 2013- | 9 | 30 m multi-spectral (VIS/NIR/SWIR) | 15 m | 185 km x 180 km | free |
Landsat 9 | 2021- | 11 | 30 m multi-spectral (VIS/NIR/SWIR) | 15 m | 190 km x 180 km | free |
Sentinel-1 (A,B,C) |
2014- | 1 (C-band) | 5 m | 400 km | free | |
Sentinel-2 (A,B) |
2015- | 13 (VNIR, SWIR) | 10 m, 20 m, 60 m | 290 km | free | |
Sentinel-3 (A,B) | 2016- | 21 | 300m full, 1200m reduced | 1270 km | free | |
Sentinel-5P | 2017 | 7 | 5.5 km x 3.5 km | free |
Maxar (free): GeoEye-1, IKONOS, Quickbird, WorldView 1-4
NASA Earthdata (free): WorldView
NOAA CLASS (register)
NOAA Data Access Viewer (free): GOES-14, -15, -16, -17,-18, NOAA-15, -18, -19, -20, -21, DSCOVR, Suomi NPP (NOAA/NASA), Jason-3 (CNES owns), DMSP F-16, F-17, F-19, EWS-G1 (Air Force owns, formerly GOES-13)
Copernicus Open Access Hub (free): Sentinel 1-5
USGS EROS and EarthExplorer (free): Landsat 1-9
AIRBUS GeoStore: Pleiades, Pleiades One, SPOT archive, Spot One
LandInfo: Pleiades 1A / 1B, GeoEye 1, IKONOS, Quickbird, WorldView 1-4, Airbus Elevation 1, 4, Spot 6/7, Rapid Eye
Satellite Imaging Corporation (SIC): Albedo, Pleiades Neo, SuperView-Neo, WorldView 1-4, Legion, GeoEye-1, Pleiades-1A / 1B, Pelican, SuperView-1, KOMPSAT- 3 / 3A, QuickBird, Satellogic, Gaofen-2, TripleSat, IKONOS, SkySat, SkySat-C, Jilin-1 (1m), TerraSAR-X, SPOT-6 / 7, Other Satellites (2m-30m)
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Created by Arabella Hafeli Scheler in May 2023. Updated by UC Berkeley Map Librarian. Inspired by blog post "Commercial Satellite Imagery: Types, Resolution, and Pricing" by Rebecca Seifried; Archived text from rmseifried.wordpress.com