LOCSS-system for Earth monitoring with the direct access to space information

Abstract

Since the 70's remote sensing space-based systems have developed by means of the continuous increase of the resolution of the Earth observation instruments, of the number of spectral channels and the swath width. This has resulted in the enlarging of the amount of data obtained by the onboard instrumentation together with the data transmission capacity of the communications channels. As a consequence, data reception from the main space systems which observe the Earth from space (Landsat, SPOT, "Resurs-O") can only be carried out by special receiving stations equipped with sophisticated, and, sometimes, unique devices. In the present situation it is necessary to search for simple and effective technological solutions capable of eliminating the contradictions between the methods of data acquisition and data processing and of reducing the distance between the source of information and the real user. The organization of spaceborne data reception directly by users themselves could be such a solution. The authors consider such a system and the configuration of its onboard instrumentation from the user's point of view.