5. OPERATIONALIZATION OF EARTH OBSERVATION
45
more cost effective than the alternative sources either by being less costly or
by producing information of higher value for essentially the same cost.
In promoting the operational use of Earth Observation data, one is often
in the position of convincing the information consumer to replace, or in
some cases augment, a current source of information with a space-based
source which, given the conservative nature of most operational users,
requires a clear demonstration of increased cost effectiveness and an
essentially complete knowledge of the consumer’s information requirements
and their value. Two instances at least where Earth Observation data have an
advantage are those cases where routine coverage of a large geographic area
is essential or data are not ordinarily available by other means
4.4
Data availability
Historically, spaceborne Earth Observation data have been poorly
archived, difficult to obtain, and in practice accessible only to specialists
with the necessary knowledge to be able to acquire it, process it and use it.
These are circumstances that operational users will not tolerate.
Development of the operational use of remotely sensed data will require that
a person be able to request information using nothing more sophisticated
than a telephone or a piece of browser software and a modem, request data in
any quantity or from any location and expect to receive the information
within a time frame that is appropriate to the requester’s requirement.
Customers should not have to know anything about orbits or processing
techniques. They simply want to know if the information they require is
available or can be made available and how much it is going to cost. From a
technical point of view this is not a difficult thing to achieve, but it is vitally
important if the potential economic impact of Earth Observation technology
is to be realized.
5.
CONCLUSIONS
The economic impact of space-based remote sensing technology is
directly related to its use as an operational source of high value information
relevant to the economic, social, strategic, political and environmental issues
which are prevalent in modern societies. Economic impact of a magnitude
sufficient to provide an economic return on the investments in such systems
will be necessary in order to justify their continued development through
either commercial or public investment.
The process of delivering such information can be considered as a two
step one where the first step produces descriptions of the distribution of
45
more cost effective than the alternative sources either by being less costly or
by producing information of higher value for essentially the same cost.
In promoting the operational use of Earth Observation data, one is often
in the position of convincing the information consumer to replace, or in
some cases augment, a current source of information with a space-based
source which, given the conservative nature of most operational users,
requires a clear demonstration of increased cost effectiveness and an
essentially complete knowledge of the consumer’s information requirements
and their value. Two instances at least where Earth Observation data have an
advantage are those cases where routine coverage of a large geographic area
is essential or data are not ordinarily available by other means
4.4
Data availability
Historically, spaceborne Earth Observation data have been poorly
archived, difficult to obtain, and in practice accessible only to specialists
with the necessary knowledge to be able to acquire it, process it and use it.
These are circumstances that operational users will not tolerate.
Development of the operational use of remotely sensed data will require that
a person be able to request information using nothing more sophisticated
than a telephone or a piece of browser software and a modem, request data in
any quantity or from any location and expect to receive the information
within a time frame that is appropriate to the requester’s requirement.
Customers should not have to know anything about orbits or processing
techniques. They simply want to know if the information they require is
available or can be made available and how much it is going to cost. From a
technical point of view this is not a difficult thing to achieve, but it is vitally
important if the potential economic impact of Earth Observation technology
is to be realized.
5.
CONCLUSIONS
The economic impact of space-based remote sensing technology is
directly related to its use as an operational source of high value information
relevant to the economic, social, strategic, political and environmental issues
which are prevalent in modern societies. Economic impact of a magnitude
sufficient to provide an economic return on the investments in such systems
will be necessary in order to justify their continued development through
either commercial or public investment.
The process of delivering such information can be considered as a two
step one where the first step produces descriptions of the distribution of