Building Earth Observation Cameras

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6

Pushbroom Imagers

6.1 Introduction

We have seen in the previous chapter the limitations of an optomechanical

imaging system in generating high spatial resolution imagery from space

platforms. The limitation primarily arises from the mode of imaging on

an instantaneous geometric eld of view (IGFOV) by IGFOV basis, thereby

limiting the time to collect the radiation. The situation can be substantially

improved if data are collected for an entire strip by imaging the complete

swath at a time, since all the pixels of the strip get the integration time cor-

responding to the time taken by the satellite to move through one IGFOV.

Such a mode of opera ...