Commercial Remote Sensing by Satellite: Status and Issues (CRS Report for Congress)
Premium Purchase PDF for $24.95 (22 pages)
add to cart or
subscribe for unlimited access
Pro Premium subscribers have free access to our full library of CRS reports.
Subscribe today, or
request a demo to learn more.
| Release Date |
Revised Jan. 8, 2002 |
| Report Number |
RL31218 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Richard Rowberg, Resources, Science, and Industry Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
-
Premium Jan. 7, 2002 (22 pages, $24.95)
add
|
Summary:
Since the late 1970s, spurred by the launch of the NASA Landsat satellites and later by the
success
of the French SPOT satellite, Congress has been taking steps to promote a commercial remote
sensing industry in the United States. The Land Remote Sensing Act of 1992 coupled with
Presidential Decision Directive 23 in 1994 gave new impetus to the industry by permitting
commercial companies to launch high resolution (1 meter or less) remote sensing satellites. While
a commercial satellite remote sensing industry has emerged, however, so far it has not been the
success envisaged by its early proponents. Nevertheless, the industry is growing and the images of
the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center obtained by the Ikonos 2 satellite operated by a U.S.
company, Space Imaging, has recently given particular prominence to the industry. The domestic
industry's future, however, appears uncertain. It has not turned a profit and still depends largely on
purchases of images by the federal government to remain in operation. Nevertheless, congressional
interest remains strong. One relevant bill, H.R. 2426 , dealing with remote sensing
applications, has been introduced in the 107th Congress to date.
Competition from aerial remote sensing; the slow development of a market for remote sensing
products outside local, state, and federal governments; competition from government-subsidized,
foreign remote sensing satellites; and regulations resulting from national security concerns are among
other factors that have slowed the development of the U. S. commercial satellite remote sensing
industry. Federal support for the industry is concentrated in the Department of Defense's (DOD's)
National Imagery and Mapping Agency (NIMA) and the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA). NIMA support, however, has been spotty because of funding limitations
and DOD actions that are limiting the need for imagery by NIMA from commercial satellites.
The industry is also creating national security benefits and challenges. The U.S. intelligence
community is finding that commercial remote sensing images can supplement those of its own
satellites. At the same time, the possibility that potential adversaries and terrorist groups may obtain
access to sensitive images has resulted in federal regulations that restrict acquisition and publication
of such images for national security and foreign policy reasons. This shutter control provision is
controversial and is likely to result in a court challenge if and when it is invoked. In the current
situation in Afghanistan, the U.S. government has avoided this possibility by contracting with Space
Imaging, a private firm, for exclusive rights to all images covering the Operation Enduring Freedom
area of operations.
Future growth of the U.S. industry will likely depend on steady and broad-based federal
support, development of new applications that result in an expanding market, and resolution of
regulatory uncertainties, primarily the shutter control provisions.
