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Some satellites use microwave sensors and
synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to monitor movement in millimeters. The combined
use of imaging, positioning, and navigation systems has also enabled scientists
to develop technologies such as light detection and ranging (LIDAR), a
remote sensing technique that measures the properties of scattered light to determine
the range of a distant target.
The military applications for space-based
data acquisition seem clear (if classified). But what's the cost of secrecy to
the civilian sector? As Dr. Ian Dowman of the University College in London,
England explains, "better resolution of optical sensors is possible, but
restricted by issues of national security, so new development will come from
policy decisions which will allow higher resolution and wider access to data."
Until then, will the civilian sector make more gains in space-based data acquisition?
Source: GIS
Development
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Re: Data Acquisition Dilemma
