Concepts for on-board satellite image registration, volume 1

Abstract

The NASA-NEEDS program goals present a requirement for on-board signal processing to achieve user-compatible, information-adaptive data acquisition. One very specific area of interest is the preprocessing required to register imaging sensor data which have been distorted by anomalies in subsatellite-point position and/or attitude control. The concepts and considerations involved in using state-of-the-art positioning systems such as the Global Positioning System (GPS) in concert with state-of-the-art attitude stabilization and/or determination systems to provide the required registration accuracy are discussed with emphasis on assessing the accuracy to which a given image picture element can be located and identified, determining those algorithms required to augment the registration procedure and evaluating the technology impact on performing these procedures on-board the satellite