LDCM Briefing

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U.S. Land Imaging Needs Long-Term Continuity
Future of Land Imaging Interagency Working
Group (FLI-IWG) U.S. Group on Earth
Observations Committee on Environment and Natural
Resources National Science and Technology
Council Executive Office of the President
Washington, DC
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AGENDA

• Background
• Land Imaging Policy History
• OSTP Memoranda
• What is Land Imaging ?
• Moderate Resolution Imagery is
• Moderate Resolution Imagery is Important because
  
• The National Science and Technology Council Study
  Process
• Scope and Charter of the FLI-IWG
• Assumptions
• Needs Analysis -- What are the Societal Benefits
  ?
• Options for Meeting U.S. Land Imaging Needs
• Governance Options
• How You Can Become Involved

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BACKGROUNDLand Imaging Policy History

• Since 1972, the U.S. has flown Landsat for
  Agriculture, Forestry, Mapping, Geology, and a
  variety of other scientific and operational uses
• In 1979, the U.S. attempted, but failed, to
  commercialize Landsat
• In 1992, the U.S. Congress established The Land
  Remote Sensing Policy Act
• Suspended commercialization attempts and
  authorized Landsat 7
• Adopted the Landsat Data Availability Policy
• International Open Skies Treaty
• Non-Discriminatory User Access
• Provided for Commercial Licensing, Advanced
  Technology, and Applications Research Programs
• In 2003, the U.S. attempted, but failed, to
  establish a Public-Private Partnership for
  Landsat Data Continuity

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BACKGROUNDOSTP Memoranda

• In August 2004, OSTP modified Landsat Strategy
• Validated the importance of Landsat-type Imagery
  to U.S. economic, environmental, and national
  security interests
• Transitioned Landsat to a sustained operational
  program
• Placed a Landsat-type instrument on the National
  Polar Operational Environmental Satellite System
  (NPOESS)
• In December 2005, OSTP revised the Strategy
• Removed Landsat from NPOESS due to design
  complexities
• Authorized construction of a new Landsat
  free-flyer satellite
• Initiated a Long-Term Continuity Study to
  identify Future Needs and Options for U.S. Land
  Imaging
• Established the Future of Land Imaging
  Interagency Working Group (FLI IWG)

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WHAT IS LAND IMAGING ?Moderate Resolution
Imagery is

• The characteristics of satellite imaging required
  to obtain
• Accurate spectral and spatial information
• Frequent synoptic views of the Earth
• Precise geo-referenced data for mapping and
  monitoring
• Scaleable geospatial information across global,
  hemispheric, continental, regional, and local
  geographies
• Data calibrated to a national standard over time
  -- for measuring real physical changes to the
  Earth
• Information about
• Earths geology, hydrology, climatology, biology,
  and other natural system sciences
• The habitability, sustainability, and quality of
  life on our planet
• Societys physical, economic, and social
  infrastructure
• Ways to mitigate and respond to human-caused and
  natural disasters

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WHAT IS LAND IMAGING ?Moderate Resolution
Imagery is Important because

• Land Imaging Directly Benefits Society
• Agriculture and Forestry
• Land Use Planning and Management
• Water Resource Management
• Emergency / Disaster Management
• Coastal Zone Management
• Ecological Forecasting
• National / Homeland Security support
• Transportation Management and Infrastructure
  Planning

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THE NSTC STUDY PROCESSScope and Charter of the
FLI-IWG

• Led by the National Science and Technology
  Council, with representatives from
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration
• U.S. Department of the Interior / U.S. Geological
  Survey
• U.S. Department of Agriculture
• U.S. Department of Defense
• National Geospatial Intelligence Agency
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• Conduct Fact-Finding and Needs Assessment
• Why does the U.S. need Moderate-Resolution Land
  Images ?
• What are the Options for acquiring these
  Capabilities or Data ?
• How should U.S. Land Imaging be managed ?
• Produce a long-term plan in accord with the
  goals and objectives of the U.S. Integrated Earth
  Observation System.
• Report in early 2007 with 2nd and 3rd Qtr 2006
  Interim Reports

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THE NSTC STUDY PROCESSAssumptions

• Continuity of the U.S. Land Data Record will be
  maintained
• but Landsat will not constrain future U.S. Land
  Imaging capabilities and designs
• Alternatives should meet the Landsat Data
  Continuity Standard while addressing additional
  U.S. needs
• Greater spatial or spectral resolution
• Greater frequency of coverage and steerable
  imaging
• Multi-purpose Imaging Systems (Radar, Radar
  hybrids, Hyperspectral)

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THE NSTC STUDY PROCESSNeeds Analysis What are
the Societal Benefits ?

• The FLI-IWG will inventory and assess the
  societal benefit of Land Imaging and how it can
  best be met
• Societal Benefits are a core feature of the
  International Global Earth Observing System of
  Systems and the U.S. Integrated Earth Observing
  System
• Weather
• Natural Disasters
• Ocean Resources
• Climate Variability and Change
• Agriculture and Forestry
• There are other Societal Benefits not captured by
  GEOSS and IEOS that are important to meeting U.S.
  economic and national security interests
• Land Use Planning and Management
• Public Lands Conservation / Management
• National Security Operations
• Transportation Planning / Management
• The Vitality and Competitiveness of the U.S.
  Aerospace Industry is also a Primary Consideration

• Human Health and Well-Being
• Ecological Forecasting
• Water Resource Management
• Energy Resource Management
• Property Valuation
• Flood Plain Assessment
• Foreign Agricultural Assessment
• Infrastructure Planning / Management

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THE NSTC STUDY PROCESSOptions for Meeting U.S.
Land Imaging Needs

• Government-Owned Satellite
• Public-Private Partnership
• International Partnership
• Commercial Program
• A Combination of these Options

The U.S. Government owns and operates a U.S.
satellite and maintains an archive and
distribution capability. The U.S. Government
shares responsibility with the private sector.
Costs are shared in proportion to the value of
the data. The U.S. Government shares
capabilities and data with foreign
partners. The U.S. acquires all data from the
private sector which retains rights to U.S. Land
Imaging data. A primary solution may be
complemented or supplemented by a secondary
solution.
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THE NSTC STUDY PROCESSGovernance Options

• Single Agency
• Multiple Agency
• Integrated Program Office
• U.S. National Commission
• No U.S. Government Manager

A single U.S. Federal Agency is responsible for
all aspects of Land Imaging. Two or more
Federal Agencies are responsible for all aspects
of Land Imaging. An IPO reporting to multiple
Federal Agencies is responsible for all aspects
of Land Imaging. A U.S. National Commission
manages the U.S. Land Imaging Program, assigning
responsibility for Land Imaging. The U.S.
acquires all Land Imaging data commercially or
from international sources. No U.S. Federal
Agency is assigned responsibility.
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HOW YOU CAN BECOME INVOLVED

• USDA Representation
• What
• Who
• OSTP confirmation
• www.landimaging.gov

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Back-up Slides

• Back-up Slides
• OSTP Memorandum 12/23/05
• Landsat 5 Status
• Landsat 7 Status
• Alternate Data Source Options

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Future of Land imaging
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Landsat 5 Status

• Landsat 5 and its Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor
  have been on orbit for 22 years
• No onboard data recorder only U.S. (Sioux
  Falls, Australia, plus Alaska during fire season)
  and 8 International Cooperators (ICs) with 10
  ground stations capture TM data
• Solar array drive malfunctioned again in November
  2005 (side A 10 mos. earlier) operations changed
  to compensate for problem
• 19 years of extended operations
• Fuel to be depleted in 2010
• Satellite could fail anytime before 2010
• Backup amplifier problem March 16, 2006
• Full U.S. and IC operations resumed March 30,
  2006

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Landsat 7 Status

• Landsat 7 and its Enhanced Thematic Mapper-Plus
  (ETM) sensor have been on orbit for 7 years
• ETM scan line corrector (SLC) failed May 2003
  USGS developed gap filler products
• 1 of 3 Landsat 7 gyros turned off May 2004 USGS
  developing 1-gyro flight capability (spacecraft
  maneuver capability now not full science
  operations) and moving towards virtual gyro
  operations
• Full U.S. and global data coverage being
  collected
• 2 years of extended mission operations
• Fuel to be depleted in 2010
• Satellite could fail anytime before 2010
• USGS/NASA Data Gap Study Team formed to
  investigate options and resources for
  Landsat-like global data sets

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Alternate Data Source Options
U.S.-Landsat/ETM
U.S.-EO-1/ALI
India-ResourceSat/LISS III
Japan-ALOS/AVNIR-2
Japan-Terra/ASTER France-SPOT/HRG
India-ResourceSat/AWiFS
China/Brazil-CBERS/MUXCAN
Note For purposes of scene size comparison
only not actual orbital paths or operational
acquisitions. High-resolution scenes too small
to illustrate here.
China/Brazil-CBERS/IRMSS
Germany- RapidEye/REIS
China/Brazil-CBERS/WFI
England-DMC/MSDMC