Satellite imagery

This chapter is under review and may need revisions.

Overview

This section of the book aims to help navigate the complex world of satellite imagery, with a focus on applying these data within the MOSAIKS framework. While MOSAIKS API features are sufficient for many applications, some use cases require working directly with satellite imagery. Understanding how to select and process appropriate imagery becomes crucial in these situations.

The skills covered in these chapters are primarily relevant for users who need to generate custom MOSAIKS features. If you plan to use the MOSAIKS API features, you can skip this section.

When to look beyond the MOSAIKS API

The MOSAIKS API provides pre-computed features from 2019 Planet Labs imagery. While these features enable a wide range of applications, you may need to work directly with satellite imagery when:

  • Your analysis requires data from a different time period
  • You need higher spatial or temporal resolution
  • Your application requires specific spectral bands
  • You want to validate or compare MOSAIKS features
  • You’re developing new methodologies

Earth observation satellites: Past, present and future

Satellite-based Earth observation has revolutionized our understanding of the planet since the launch of the first Landsat satellite in 1972. Today, hundreds of Earth observation satellites collect terabytes of imagery daily, supporting applications from weather forecasting to precision agriculture.

The variety of available satellite data has grown dramatically, with options including:

  • Free public satellites (Landsat, Sentinel)
  • Commercial providers (Planet Labs, Maxar)
  • Specialized sensors (radar, hyperspectral)
  • Satellite constellations providing frequent coverage
  • Very high resolution imagery (<1m pixels)

This wealth of options creates both opportunities and challenges in selecting appropriate imagery for your specific needs.

Section outline

The following chapters will guide you through key considerations when working with satellite imagery:

Chapter Key Topics
9  Choosing imagery Resolution types, data sources, selection criteria
10  Processing imagery Pre-processing steps, quality control, computing needs
Table 1: Outline of the satellite imagery section

These chapters provide practical guidance for incorporating satellite imagery into your MOSAIKS workflow while highlighting important technical and logistical considerations.

Looking forward

In the next chapter, we will take a look at how to choose the right satellite imagery for your application.