2.3: Satellite Imagery

Satellite Imagery

Satellite images Links to an external site. are pictures of Earth or other solar system bodies collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. Here in the US, all satellite images produced by NASA are published by NASA Earth Observatory and are freely available to the public (Figure 2.3). The first images taken from space were done in the 1940’s and the first satellite photograph was taken in 1959. In 1972, one of the most famous space photos, “The Blue Marble Links to an external site.” was taken. This coincided with the beginning of the Landsat program Links to an external site. here in the US, which is the largest program for acquisition of imagery of Earth from space.