Getting Ahead Of Advancing Earth-Observing Satellite Capabilities

The regulated community should be considering how Earth-observing satellites may enhance regulators' and non-governmental organizations' (NGOs') ability to detect, measure, and monitor pollution. According to the Land Remote Sensing Satellites Online Compendium, a resource developed by the U.S. Geological Survey, there are 295 Earth-observing satellites that are operational, and 59 are under development.

At a basic level, Earth-observing satellites acquire information about the Earth. The data derived can differ in resolution and application depending on a satellite's sensor and orbit. For example, satellites with a geostationary orbit maintain their position directly over the same place on Earth's surface, permitting almost continuous coverage of that one area. These satellites may be most useful for targeting facilities with repeated or ongoing environmental violations. Once data derived from Earth-observing satellites are processed, they can be used in a