Remote sensing based services in Space technology
All things on Earth reflect, absorb, or transmit energy, the amount of which varies by wavelength. Just as your fingerprint is unique to you, everything on Earth has a unique spectral fingerprint.
Remote sensing is the science of gathering data about objects or areas from a distance. It is a tool frequently used to obtain details about the Earth’s surface from space, as data is gathered by detecting and measuring electromagnetic waves emitted, reflected or diffracted by the sensed object.
Electromagnetic energy, produced by the vibration of charged particles, travels in the form of waves through the atmosphere and the vacuum of space. These waves have different wavelengths and frequencies — like radio, microwave, and infrared waves, ultraviolet, x-rays, and gamma rays. Visible light sits in the middle of that range of long to shortwave radiation. This small portion of the energy is all that the human eye is able to detect. Instrumentation is needed to detect all other forms of electromagnetic energy.
Sensors mounted on drones, planes and satellites capture this reflected light to create an image of the object. This technology has been used to map geographies, provide insights into weather and climate conditions and multiple other applications.
Many industries rely on data from remote sensing. Weather and climate tracking and forecasting, agriculture study and tracking of emissions are some very common use cases based on remote sensing. The global market for satellite-based remote sensing services is estimated to reach $7B by 2024.
As we move into the new space economy, various companies are developing remote sensing capabilities to provide data to multiple industries. They are doing this using different sensor technologies based on different orbits in space. As sensor technologies and capabilities evolve, remote sensing will provide more accurate data for newer applications and use cases.
