Table of Contents
Can a satellite see a coin?
No. That kind of resolution doesn’t exist in space satellites. The most detailed imaging for a satellite would be a Radar Imaging Satellite. Imaging radar is an application of radar which is used to create two-dimensional images, typically of landscapes.
How close can military satellites see?
Many of the details about this class of satellites remain classified, but it is known that there are several of these overhead at any given time. They have an imaging resolution of 5-6 inches, which means they can see something 5 inches or larger on the ground.
Can a satellite read a newspaper from space?
No, the satellite with the highest resolution was probably the KH-8 Gambit. An official history says that it “produced examples of imagery better than four inches ground-resolved distance.” Historian Dwayne Day notes that its resolution may have been great enough to see a golf ball, but not read newspapers.
How accurate are satellite positioning devices?
Since satellites orbit 500km above the earth at a speed of more than 20,000km/h, the positioning device needs to be very sophisticated to be accurate. The table below shows a comparison of resolution and accuracy for some of the satellite imagery sources available on the market today. The reported accuracy for a sensor is based on two assumptions.
What is the best resolution for satellite images?
What was considered high resolution back in the 80s ‒ for example, NASA satellite data from Landsat with its 60m per pixel ‒ has become low in today’s standards. The finest resolution as of now is 30cm provided by very high-resolution commercial satellites. – Low resolution: over 60m/pixel – Medium resolution: 10 ‒ 30m/pixel
How much ground area can be seen in a satellite image?
Generally speaking, the better the resolution, the less total ground area can be seen in an image. That’s why high-resolution satellite data is more suitable for small-scale monitoring or analysis. It would take at least 4 images from Pleiades-1, Kompsat-3 or SuperView-1 satellites to cover an area the size of London city.
Why do satellite images have a lower accuracy at the edge?
These pixels on the edge will have lower accuracy than what is stated for the overall image. Additionally, any variation in the topography will magnify this geometric distortion effect, further reducing the accuracy of the image. Accuracy can be improved after a satellite image is taken.