The use of CORONA satellite images for generating a high resolution digital elevation model

During the CORONA flight missions (1960-1972) panchromatic images using two cameras were stereoscopically recorded at a ground resolution of approximately 1.8 meters (6 feet). Even though these satellite images have no fiducial marks, they have the potential to be used for the generation of digital elevation models (DEMs). In this paper two methods are described to achieve this. Both techniques transform the photographic information into a digital format and then analyse the data with digital photogrammetric software. The first method is applied using photographic enlargement with a scan of the photos, while the second approach performs a high quality scan of the strips directly. DEM validation points for a field site in south Morocco were collected using a differential global positioning system. Analysis of these points against the derived DEM resulted in a relative accuracy of the DEMs in the order of 20-25 meters