International Coordination of and Contributions to Environmental Satellite Programs.
Abstract
The paper begins with an overview of U.S. policy on remote sensing. Next, the extensive international cooperation in U.S. Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) is described. This includes participation in the POES direct readout services program, and existing instrument contributions and commitments to the POES system. The opportunities and mechanisms for future contributions to POES, or to the polar platform component of the U.S. Space Station, are also examined. Geostationary environmental satellites are operated by the United States, the European Space Agency, Japan, and India. These systems are described, and the Coordination on Geostationary Meteorological Satellites is discussed. Other international organizations used for cooperation and coordination in remote-sensing activities are outlined. These include the World Meteorological Organization, the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, the International Council of Scientific Unions, and the Committee on Earth Observations Satellites. Contributions by the United States to planned foreign remote-sensing programs are addressed as well. Finally, the report identifies and discusses three trends in remote sensing, and makes some concluding observations about the future of international remote-sensing activities. Appendix A lists the dates of all relevant documents, such as Memoranda of Understanding, Terms of Reference for international committees, and Minutes of Meetings of the principal coordinating groups. Plans for future NOAA satellites and onboard systems and an acronym list are presented in Appendices B and C, respectively.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA165142
Entities
People
- L. Shaffer
- P. Uhlir
Organizations
- National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service