Andy Spitz                                                                               SPOT Research

 

General Information:

SPOT 1 launched: February 21, 1986

          SPOT 2 launched: January 22, 1990

          SPOT 3 launched: September 25, 1993 (discontinued 1996)

          SPOT 4 launched: March 24, 1998

Wavelength:

          Visible and Infrared portions of the spectrum

                    Panchromatic = broad spectral band (black and white)

                    Multispectral = three narrow spectral bands (color)

          Short-wavelength infrared band (SPOT 4) = 1.58 – 1.75 mm

Orbit:

          832 km, Sun-synchronous

          Inclination = 98.2°

          Equatorial crossing 10:30am

Spatial Resolution:

          10 x 10 m (panchromatic mode)

          20 x 20 m (multispectral mode)

Temporal Resolution:

          1 to 4 (or occasionally 5) days

Availability of Data:

>$2000 for panchromatic or Multispectral image

          >$4000 both images

Applications:

Agriculture

Natural Reserve Management and Planning

Planning, Land Use and Landcover

Natural Hazard and Pollution Monitoring

Cadastral Mapping

Geology, Mineral and Oil Exploration

Cartography and Topography

Water Resources

Urban Planning

Coastal and Ocean Studies

Forestry

Monitoring and Surveillance

The Applications of Vegetation Instrument

(http://www.spotimage.fr/home/appli/welcome.htm)

Sources:

          http://www.spotimage.fr/spot-us.htm

Jensen, John R. Remote Sensing of the Environment: an Earth Resource Perspective, Prentice Hall. Upper Saddle River, NJ, 2000