Innovative Orbit Design For Earth Observation Space Missions

摘要

The invention concerns a method for reducing the costs of a satellite remote sensing service. The method comprises providing a satellite remote sensing system that includes only one satellite equipped with a sensor configured to acquire images of areas of the earth's surface, the satellite remote sensing system being designed to provide a satellite remote sensing service based on the images acquired by the sensor on board the satellite. In particular, the satellite follows a predefined orbit around the earth with an orbit repeat cycle shorter than three days, whereby a satellite remote sensing service with very good time performance, excellent interferometric capabilities and with drastically reduced costs is obtained.

主权项

1. A method for reducing the costs of a satellite remote sensing service, comprising providing a satellite remote sensing system (1) that:
includes only one satellite (11) equipped with a sensor (111) configured to acquire images of areas of the Earth's surface; and is designed to provide a satellite remote sensing service based on the images acquired by the sensor (111) on board the satellite (11);wherein the satellite (11) follows a predefined orbit around the Earth with an orbit repeat cycle shorter than three days whereby:
the satellite remote sensing system (1) does not provide global coverage of the Earth's surface, but provides a satellite remote sensing service only for predefined areas of the Earth's surface positioned in a strip comprised between two predefined latitudes and centred on the equator; the satellite remote sensing system (1), by comprising only one satellite (11), is less expensive than an Earth observation system comprising a constellation of satellites, in this way, resulting in the satellite remote sensing service provided by said satellite remote sensing system (1) on said predefined areas of the Earth's surface also being less expensive than that one provided by an Earth observation system comprising a constellation of satellites; the satellite remote sensing system (1) provides the satellite remote sensing service on said predefined areas of the Earth's surface, ensuring time performances and interferometric capabilities similar to those of a satellite remote sensing service provided by an Earth observation system comprising a constellation of satellites; and different states present in said areas of the Earth's surface can
make use of the satellite remote sensing service provided by the satellite remote sensing system (1) by using the latter with a time division logic, in which each state exclusively uses said satellite remote sensing system (1) during the periods of time in which the sensor (111) on board the satellite (11) acquires images of only the territory of said state, andshare the costs of the satellite remote sensing system (1) between one another, in this way obtaining a reduction in the costs of the satellite remote sensing service for each individual state.