The extension of its data collection capacity by SSC Satellitbild AB to include the Japanese JERS-1 satellitewill allow companies faster andmore reliable access to a variety of remote sensing information for geographic information systems. 

The JERS-1 is the first remote sensing satellite to use the principle of along-track stereo in conjunction with its optical sensors. This allows complete stereo information, required to create digital elevation models to be obtained in seconds, according to SSC Satellitbild AB in Sweden.
This information is used in a range of land management and other geographic applications. Using other satellites, obtaining the necessary two stereo pair images can takes weeks or longer, whereas the Japanese satellite delivers the data in a few days.
In addition, the along-track stereo is a technique that means all cloud-free images in the vast image archive are directly suitable for stereo processing. This obviates the need to order and then have to wait for a second cloud-free image from another orbit and angle.

Accurate and cost effective
The company has developed new software that turns the remote sensing data from the JERS-1 satellite into digital elevation models, DEMs, that are now available as standard products. These digital elevation models provide the basic starting points for up-to-date, accurate and cost-effective information about terrain relief.
Customers can define the specific area to be covered by the digital elevation models, and are not dependent on the boundaries of the satellite scenes as several scenes can be merged to cover a particular area, says Christer Andersson, Sales Manager of SSC Satellitbild AB.
The company's current range of products is based on a variety of satellite based information such as precision corrected satellite image maps. These include base and thematic maps at scales from 1:25 000 to 1:2 500 000. Using satellite data, the company is able to provide a range of sophisticated products like topographic elevation contours, land cover classification maps for land management and cellular communications, time series and change detection images for map updates, environmental monitoring and disaster management.
Customers receive this information in a range of media to suit their particular geographic information systems. The company has developed GISimage(tm) as a platform-independent format for storing digital image data from satellites.
SSC Satellitbild, operating commercially since 1986, is one of the leading suppliers of geographical and environmental information and services using remote sensing satellite data. It is part of the Earth Observation Division of the Swedish Space Corporation. Its customers include international organisations such as the World Bank, governmental map agencies as well as private companies world-wide.

Caption 1: With the JERS-1 satellite, the along-track stereo can provide rapid access to complete stereo images that allows the production of digital elevation models even for remote areas.

Caption 2: Digital elevation model, DEM, built up from stereo images received from JERS-1. This forms the basis of a range of geographic information.

For further information contact:
Christer Andersson, Sales Manager or
Björn Ohlson, Area Manager
SSC Satellitbild AB
PO Box 4207
S-171 04, Solna, Sweden
Tel:+46 8 627 64 50
Fax:+46 8 98 49 75
E-mail:ca@ssc.se
Website: http://www.ssc.se/sb/dem

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