System design considerations for advanced scanners for earth resource applications

Optical mechanical scanners offer a means for producing imagery from earth orbiting platforms in many wavelength bands simultaneously ranging from the visible to about 13 µm. Since the signal is in electrical form, it can be telemetered to earth where the spectral content of each scene element can be processed to classify features based on their spectral properties. Optical mechanical scanners, electron beam imagery systems, and electronic self-scanning detector arrays are being developed as imaging systems for earth observation from satellites. NASA convened a working group to evaluate the role of these imagers in earth observation programs and assess R&D requirements for future systems. Some of the system design considerations prepared by the electromechanical scanner panel for use by this working group are presented.