Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons^™

Scientific Visualization Production For The Media, Gregory Shirah

Online Journal of Space Communication

Code 935's Scientific Visualization Studio (SVS) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center is a leader in the NASA community at producing scientific visualizations of Earth and space science results based on NASA research. The SVS specializes in using science data to produce visualizations for viewing by the public primarily through television. The SVS also produces visualization software systems; however, the focus of this section is on visualization productions.

Hierarchical Image Segmentation, James Tilton

Online Journal of Space Communication

Segmentation, the partitioning of image data into related sections or regions, is a key first step in a number of approaches to data analysis and compression. In image analysis, the group of image data points contained in each region provides a statistical sampling of image data values for more reliable labeling based on image feature values. In addition, the region shape can be analyzed as an additional clue for the appropriate labeling of the region. In data compression, the regions form a basis for compact representation of the image data. The quality of the prerequisite image segmentation is a key …

Optical Systems Characterization And Analysis Research Project, Richard G. Lyon

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Optical Systems Characterization and Analysis Research (OSCAR) project was formed in 1994 to look at advanced optical modeling methods, utilizing phase retrieval, to model the optical point spread function of the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). OSCAR developed these techniques and accurately modeled the HST response and further developed maximum entropy deconvolution algorithms and mined the database and published seminal scientific manuscripts. OSCAR subsequently got involved in the Next Generation Space Telescope (NGST), now the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), and in JWST testbed development. OSCAR has further expanded to include interferometric and coronagraphic systems such as the Stellar Imager …

Commodity Computing Clusters At Goddard Space Flight Center, John E. Dorband, Josephine Palencia, Udaya Ranawake

Online Journal of Space Communication

The purpose of commodity cluster computing is to utilize large numbers of readily available computing components for parallel computing to obtaining the greatest amount of useful computations for the least cost. The issue of the cost of a computational resource is key to computational science and data processing at GSFC as it is at most other places, the difference being that the need at GSFC far exceeds any expectation of meeting that need. Therefore, Goddard scientists need as much computing resources that are available for the provided funds. This is exemplified in the following brief history of low-cost high-performance computing …

Multi-Sensor Image Registration, Fusion And Dimension Reduction, Jacqueline Le Moigne

Online Journal of Space Communication

With the development of future spacecraft formations comes a number of complex challenges such as maintaining precise relative position and specified attitudes, as well as being able to communicate with each other. More generally, with the advent of spacecraft formations, issues related to performing on-board and automatic data computing and analysis as well as decision planning and scheduling will figure among the most important requirements. Among those, automatic image registration, image fusion and dimension reduction represent intelligent technologies that would reduce mission costs,would enable autonomous decisions to be taken on-board, and would make formation flying adaptive, self-reliant, and cooperative. For …

Earth Satellite Direct Broadcast And Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, Patrick Coronado

Online Journal of Space Communication

Direct Readout of directly broadcasted remote sensing data has become the driving force for real-time data processing and global data product distribution. Direct readout methods of aerial and spaceborne platforms carrying spectral imagers and profilers have allowed immediate local monitoring of our environment to support natural and man made hazards, bio-mass changes and urban and rural monitoring. This paper describes NASA's latest direct readout technologies necessary to undertake real-time aerial and spaceborne remote sensing for the next generation environmental satellites and uninhabited aerial vehicles.

Knowledge Base Data Mining And Machine Learning In A Parallel Computing Environment, William J. Campbell, Samir Chettri

Online Journal of Space Communication

The expectation of this research is to greatly broaden the use of remotely sensed imagery by providing a novitiate user, access to embedded information and knowledge without embarking upon a full-scale research project to complete the content extraction, storage and retrieval process. The intent of our approach is to develop an intelligent system that can adapt to changes or new information and learn from these changes. This will drastically alter the approach researchers take in using any digital imagery by opening the scientific discovery process, particularly to disciplines that have not traditionally used imagery due to the complexity of the …

Remote Sensing Of Informal Housing Settlements In Metropolitan Bangkok, Curtis N. Thomson

Online Journal of Space Communication

In 1988 the National Housing Authority of Thailand estimated that about 10 percent of the population was living in 1300 slum or squatter settlements (officially designated as 'congested communities) within the Bangkok metropolitan area. These settlements are located in a number of areas throughout the city, established on both public and private land and are consist of a variety of housing at very high densities (30 units per 1600 sq.m.). Due to the sometimes transient nature or these communities, or the speed with which they can develop, as well as the lack of information about the residents who occupy these …

Neighborhood Pattern Recognition From Mailing Information: Links With Satellite Imagery, Victor Mesev

Online Journal of Space Communication

The notorious difficulties of sensing urban areas remotely have traditionally limited accuracy and thematic detail to coarse generalizations. With the advent of very high spatial resolution satellite imagery comes the opportunity to generate much finer scale inventories of the geography of cities. However, urban reconstruction from imagery is still limited to the classification of physical land covers; and land use still, on the whole, is inferred from the spectral composition of land covers. What is needed to improve urban image pattern recognition and classification accuracy is for GIS to keep pace with the demand for finer spatial resolution ancillary data …

Introduction To Hyperspectral Image Analysis, Peg Shippert

Online Journal of Space Communication

The most significant recent breakthrough in remote sensing has been the development of hyperspectral sensors and software to analyze the resulting image data. Fifteen years ago only spectral remote sensing experts had access to hyperspectral images or software tools to take advantage of such images. Over the past decade hyperspectral image analysis has matured into one of the most powerful and fastest growing technologies in the field of remote sensing.

The "hyper" in hyperspectral means "over" as in "too many" and refers to the large number of measured wavelength bands. Hyperspectral images are spectrally overdetermined, which means that they provide …

Spectrometry And Hyperspectral Remote Sensing Of Urban Road Infrastructure, Martin Herold, Margaret E. Gardner, Val Noronha, Dar A. Roberts

Online Journal of Space Communication

Based on a comprehensive regional spectral library from spectrometer ground measurements and high-resolution hyperspectral AVIRIS data, this research investigates generic spectral characteristics, and related mapping capabilities and limitations for extracting roads of various types, delineating road centerlines, and surveying pavement quality within the urban environment. The methods are generally successful in identifying roads and road pavement types, but inaccuracies arise from spectral similarities between asphalt surfaces and specific roofing materials. Findings indicate that it is possible to spectrally characterize and estimate age of pavement and a few specific asphalt surface quality parameters (e.g. raveling). Finally, this research argues that the …

Introduction To Remote Sensing: Online Resources, Hugh Bloemer, Dale Quattrochi

Online Journal of Space Communication

Several quite useful online resources have been developed throughout the world. Below are links to some of these online Remote Sensing resources.

Ohioview: A Case Study In Progress, James K. Lein

Online Journal of Space Communication

OhioView is a consortium of 10 state universities within Ohio established to promote the low-cost distribution of US Government civilian satellite data for public use. Dedicated to the goal of reducing the financial and technological barriers to use remotely sensed satellite data, OhioView has made a significant contributions to the educational, research and public use of satellite imagery through a continuing program of focused and applied land cover studies, expanded university level teaching, and public and private outreach and training. A grassroots organization formed in 1996 by its member universities, OhioView's mission is to develop remote sensing applications, create educational …

Introduction To Remote Sensing: Remote Sensing Satellites, Hugh Bloemer, Dale Quattrochi

Online Journal of Space Communication

Introduction to Remote Sensing: Remote Sensing Satellite.

Introduction To Remote Sensing: Science For Society, Ronald J. Birk, Tsengdar Lee

Online Journal of Space Communication

Science for Society: Extending Earth Science Research Results into Decision Support Tools

Introduction To Remote Sensing: Americaview Consortium, Hugh Bloemer, Dale Quattrochi

Online Journal of Space Communication

The AmericaView Consortium is a network of several state consortia whose goal is to expand remote sensing education, research and innovation.

A Remote Sensing Tutorial, Nicholas M. Short

Online Journal of Space Communication

A Remote Sensing Tutorial

Issue 3: From The Guest Editors, Hugh Bloemer, Dale Quattrochi

Online Journal of Space Communication

What is Remote Sensing?

Acts Shut Down: April 28, 2004, Frank Gargione

Online Journal of Space Communication

The Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) was shut down on Wednesday April 28 after more than ten years in orbit. The satellite, still fully operational and in the hardware configuration set at launch, was shut down due a funding shortfall, in spite of repeated efforts by NASA and the Ohio Consortium for Advanced Communications to find new sources of support.

Edward Ashford, Edward Ashford

Online Journal of Space Communication

Corporate Development Unit Leader at SES-ASTRA