Page 195 - International Space Station Benefits for Humanity, 3rd edition.

Environmental Earth Observations

The International Space Station (ISS) offers a unique vantage for observing the Earth’s ecosystems
and atmosphere with hands-on and automated equipment. The size, power, and data transfer
capabilities of the space station enable a wide range of sophisticated sensor systems including
optical multispectral and hyperspectral imaging systems for examining the Earth’s land surface and
coastal oceans, as well as active radar and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) systems useful for
investigating sea surface winds and atmospheric aerosol transportation patterns. Astronauts using
hand-held digital cameras provide an additional imaging capability for obtaining both detailed images
of the Earth surface as well as sweeping panoramic views of its atmosphere. This flexibility is an
advantage over sensors on unmanned spacecraft, especially when unexpected natural events
such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes occur.

Earth Remote Sensing from the and 52 degrees south latitude at different times
International Space Station of day and night, and under varying illumination
conditions. Robotic, satellite-based, Earth-observing
The space station is a capable platform for Earth sensors are typically placed on polar-orbiting, sun-
remote sensing with sufficient power and data synchronous platforms in orbits designed to pass over
infrastructure to support a variety of internal and the same spot on the Earth’s surface at approximately
external sensors. It also retains the distinction of the same time of day. This paradigm is now changing
being the only such platform with a human crew, through the use of smaller platforms (e.g., CubeSats)
which provides unique opportunities and advantages, that allow for multiple installations of the same sensor
particularly in the arena of data collection for disaster on multiple platforms in different orbits.
response efforts. So, what can the space station
offer in terms of Earth remote sensing that free-flying,
polar-orbiting robotic satellite systems cannot? Responsive Data Collection
The presence of a human crew that can react to
Images with a Variety of Lighting Conditions unfolding events in real time, rather than needing a
new data collection program uploaded from ground
Unlike many of the traditional Earth observation control, provides a unique capability over robotic
platforms, the space station orbits the Earth orbital systems.
in an inclined equatorial orbit that is not sun-
synchronous. This means that the space station This is particularly important for collecting imagery
passes over locations between 52 degrees north of unexpected natural hazard and disaster events
such as volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, flooding
and tsunamis. The crew can also determine whether
viewing conditions—such as cloud cover or
The presence of a human crew illumination—will allow useful data to be collected,
as opposed to a robotic sensor that collects data
that can react to unfolding events automatically without regard to quality.
in real time, rather than needing This is well demonstrated by the space station’s
a new data collection program response to natural hazard and disaster events, in
support of the International Charter, Space and Major
uploaded from ground control, Disasters (http://www.disasterscharter.org/home),
provides a unique capability over also known as the International Disaster Charter (IDC).
The space station became a participating platform—
robotic orbital systems. in other words, a potential source of remotely sensed
data—in April 2012, joining many other NASA satellite
assets. As of April 2018, the NASA-managed sensor

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