High resolution multispectral camera system for ERTS A & B.

Abstract

A very-high resolution multispectral television camera system is being developed for use on the earth resources technology satellite (ERTS) program. There are three cameras in the system, each viewing the same area but operating in the blue-green, red, and near-infrared spectral bands. In the laboratory the cameras' limiting resolution is 4500 TV lines over the 25 + 25-mm image format of the return beam vidicon (RBV). A model was developed to predict the resolving power performance of the RBV camera under realistic conditions. To verify the model, tests were conducted using the RBV camera, a laser-beam image reproducer and a series of AF tribar test patterns of known values of contrast. As a more graphic demonstration, simulated multispectral images were generated using color-IR photographs from Apollo 9. The measured signal-to-noise, resolution, and spectral characteristics of the ERTS Flight A and Flight B three-camera systems are presented in conclusion.