5. Financial Issues
The observation that satellites augment rather than replace other coastal observing
platforms has budgetary significance. Non-spaceborne sampling programs, such as
airborne and in situ programs, may be run more effectively with the addition of a
spaceborne sampling program, but they are not likely to be eliminated. In order to use
satellite data operationally, additional financial and human resources are required to
employ satellite data specialists, to utilize specialized hardware and software, and in
certain cases, to purchase satellite data and external data processing services.
Government agencies cover capital and operating costs associated with many of the
relevant satellite programs, a result being that coastal managers and researchers can
often obtain satellite data free of charge or for a nominal fee. On the other hand,
researchers and managers usually cover all costs associated with their airborne or in situ
sampling program. The data cost advantage only applies to certain satellite sensors as
several environmental satellites, as identified in Tables 1- 4, are operated on a
commercial basis. Where a fee is levied, the cost of purchasing satellite imagery is not
usually onerous for a few images. However, for operational applications in which data
requirements can run into tens to thousands of satellite images over the life of a project,
such costs can run into the tens of thousands to millions of dollars for certain types of
imagery.
The issue of satellite data costs has been debated widely within the aquatic
observing community. In our opinion, the issue arose largely as a result of overly
optimistic projections of the commercial potential for marine environmental satellite
sensors. Fortunately, we now have a more realistic understanding of the commercial vs.
public-mandate applications of such sensors, and as a result, space agencies have a
better understanding of the users’ ability to pay for satellite data.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, the temporal resolution requirements of coastal
management programs were poorly assessed or comprehended by the space sector. In
hindsight, this is not surprising given that several of today’s aquatic applications of
spaceborne sensors did not exist at that time. However, as a result, subsequent
spaceborne environmental sensing programs did not live up to expectations from an
operational usage perspective. The satellite systems that emerged in the 1990s tended to
perform at or beyond engineering and academic research expectations, but usually fell
short of operational utilization expectations. Similarly, projections of the commercial
potential for such satellite systems proved to be widely optimistic. The latter has had
significant impact on the extent to which the private sector is now willing to invest in
spaceborne environmental satellite programs. Additionally, as several space agency
development programs are focused on industrial development it is likely that this has
had an indirect effect on public-sector budgets for Earth-observation programs.
6. Summary
Although sensors mounted on different platforms may observe similar
phenomenon, such as water optical properties, one should not view these various
platforms as being redundant or competitive. All sensors and platforms have limitations
and these limitations vary for each specific sensor and platform. Of fundamental
significance are the temporal and spatial scales at which these technologies operate
213
Observing Coastal Waters with Spaceborne Sensors
The observation that satellites augment rather than replace other coastal observing
platforms has budgetary significance. Non-spaceborne sampling programs, such as
airborne and in situ programs, may be run more effectively with the addition of a
spaceborne sampling program, but they are not likely to be eliminated. In order to use
satellite data operationally, additional financial and human resources are required to
employ satellite data specialists, to utilize specialized hardware and software, and in
certain cases, to purchase satellite data and external data processing services.
Government agencies cover capital and operating costs associated with many of the
relevant satellite programs, a result being that coastal managers and researchers can
often obtain satellite data free of charge or for a nominal fee. On the other hand,
researchers and managers usually cover all costs associated with their airborne or in situ
sampling program. The data cost advantage only applies to certain satellite sensors as
several environmental satellites, as identified in Tables 1- 4, are operated on a
commercial basis. Where a fee is levied, the cost of purchasing satellite imagery is not
usually onerous for a few images. However, for operational applications in which data
requirements can run into tens to thousands of satellite images over the life of a project,
such costs can run into the tens of thousands to millions of dollars for certain types of
imagery.
The issue of satellite data costs has been debated widely within the aquatic
observing community. In our opinion, the issue arose largely as a result of overly
optimistic projections of the commercial potential for marine environmental satellite
sensors. Fortunately, we now have a more realistic understanding of the commercial vs.
public-mandate applications of such sensors, and as a result, space agencies have a
better understanding of the users’ ability to pay for satellite data.
In the late 1980s to early 1990s, the temporal resolution requirements of coastal
management programs were poorly assessed or comprehended by the space sector. In
hindsight, this is not surprising given that several of today’s aquatic applications of
spaceborne sensors did not exist at that time. However, as a result, subsequent
spaceborne environmental sensing programs did not live up to expectations from an
operational usage perspective. The satellite systems that emerged in the 1990s tended to
perform at or beyond engineering and academic research expectations, but usually fell
short of operational utilization expectations. Similarly, projections of the commercial
potential for such satellite systems proved to be widely optimistic. The latter has had
significant impact on the extent to which the private sector is now willing to invest in
spaceborne environmental satellite programs. Additionally, as several space agency
development programs are focused on industrial development it is likely that this has
had an indirect effect on public-sector budgets for Earth-observation programs.
6. Summary
Although sensors mounted on different platforms may observe similar
phenomenon, such as water optical properties, one should not view these various
platforms as being redundant or competitive. All sensors and platforms have limitations
and these limitations vary for each specific sensor and platform. Of fundamental
significance are the temporal and spatial scales at which these technologies operate
213
Observing Coastal Waters with Spaceborne Sensors