Remote Sensing: A Mortal Masterpiece

Can you recall the last time you checked the weather forecast on your phone? Or the last time you used GPS to ensure you don’t get lost? Or even the last time you watched a sci-fi movie with hi-tech devices? On average, a smartphone owner unlocks his or her smartphone a hundred times a day - Without these devices, most of us would be bewildered and for some of us, our existence would be drastically redefined. In the hustle and bustle of today’s world, it is easy to forget the footings behind the existence of several assets, arguably the most significant one being remote sensing.

Remote Sensing, the theme of World Space Week 2016 (WSW) aimed to increase awareness on behind-the-scenes technological advancements that not only enhance the present, but also set the stage for the future. As defined on World Space Week’s official website (http://www.worldspaceweek.org) , “ ‘Remote Sensing: Enabling our Future’ s an inward looking theme that celebrates Earth Observation from Space for the betterment of the human race.” Highlighting some of the top-notch Earth Observation missions such as the U.S Landsat missions and environmental and agricultural monitoring, WSW 2016 took off on 4th October and lasted till 10th October.

The childhood of remote sensing was not the most pleasant , yet it was intriguing. The birth of remote sensing was driven by governments' necessity to gain restricted information stealthily by reconnaissance. It was this technological breakthrough that turned the tables during the cold war and the space race (1955-1972) – from the Cuban Missile Crisis to the birth of the first satellite Sputnik 1. By the end of the Cold War, remote sensing for direct civilian use came to the limelight. Perhaps it had never been speculated back then, but this idea would revolutionize most of today’s technology. Initially driven by reconnaissance, then by technology, then by science and now, operational services fuel the development of remote sensing. Remote Sensing is an extraordinary feat.

Being one of the highest investment services of today, not only does investing in remote sensing boost national pride and identity, but it also adds to the strategic value of countries as it aids diplomacy and infrastructure control as identified by Michael Berger , Directorate of General Research & Innovation at the European Commission. Moreover rising space programs such as ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) encourage a rise in remote sensing by making installations affordable and accessible. Remote sensing unquestionable has a bright future – or does it?

Without exception, every enthusiastic prospect has its pros, and its cons. Undoubtedly, if we have precise information on geographical locations today at a cheap price with easy access, the credit goes to remote sensing. The oldest orbiting satellite stands proof to this – Landsat 5. Launched on March 1 1984 by the US Geological Survey, this satellite lasted 26 more years than originally aimed and transmitted over 2.5 million images of the Earth’s surface. These images were of astonishing resolution. It covered each area of 185x160km at a ground resolution of 30m every 18 days at a cost of $1 per 200 hectares with each hectare containing 11 observations. Remote sensing practically is the only way to obtain data from inaccessible regions such as Antarctica and Amazonia. This is the cheapest and quickest way of constructing base maps without arduous land surveys.

Such efficient advantages come with a price. Perhaps the field in which remote sensing has greatest disadvantages is the same field in which it has greatest advantages – land evaluation. Firstly, the samples collected are not direct samples and thus they must be calibrated against reality by making tweaks here and there. If GPS hadn’t had its labels and coordinates, all we’d be seeing on our phones would be a collection of global sceneries and cities! Almost everyone I have met has had at least one incident where Maps took them to a bizarre location as the automated voice declared 'You have reached your destination' .

Be that as it may, the raw images have to undergo a process of geometric correction to make them user-friendly for the not so geographically gifted people! Depending on the scenario, this correction can either be smooth and sleek or no picnic at all. After all, a machine is a machine. As a result, distinct features can appear to be similar objects and can be misclassified; a simple example – the difference in green light between natural and artificial grass. Over and above, simple weather phenomena such as clouds and shadows which are not intended to be measured may interfere with the image to be analysed and thus, this issue must be taken into account. This adds to the cost and maintenance of these complex man made angels.

To me, the greatest setback is the magnitude of data and investment loss to both client and manufacturer in case of an accident. The most ideal example of this occurred less than a fraction of a second ago (in universal terms) with the explosion of the SpaceX rocket at Cape Canaveral, bound to deploy the Amos 6 satellite to aid in Facebook deliver broadband internet coverage for regions in Sub Saharan Africa. The loss? More than $200 million with millions of people left with poor internet connectivity for a longer time.

It came to me as a shock when I first came across this fact - the Earth’s magnetic field is gradually weakening. The best hypothesis at the time is that this process is initiating the pole reversal process that has been recurring ad infinitum. The consequences? At the climax of the phenomena, Earth will receive significantly less shielding from solar radiation. This poses a colossal threat to power grids and – satellites – due to interference from solar particles. Remote sensing will be at the forefront to bear the brunt of this. Will the damage caused be irreversible or will mankind slip into several days of technological blackout? Perhaps the solution lies in installing secure ground based facilities to study the maximum number of phenomena that can be studied from Earth. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, we have become more reliant on satellite services than we had possibly imagined. From schools, to doctor appointments, to tea parties, everything has transitioned to satellite connectivity. As the world battles the current challenges with COVID-19, the remote sensing community may have to prepare for a deadlier battle against natural phenomena.

Creativity knows no bounds. Quite possibly, the future of remote sensing may not be as bleak. Perhaps the future of remote sensing will redefine the key character of remote sensing – machinery. To understand this viewpoint, it is helpful tounderstand Lagrange points, named after 18th-century mathematician Joseph-Louis Lagrange. Think about Lagrange points as parking points in space. A Lagrange point (referred to as LP in the future) is a point in space between two massive bodies in space where their combined gravitational forces are equal with the centrifugal force of a third body. For instance, at a LP between the Earth and the Sun, a spacecraft can be “parked” to carry out studies and observations. The same can be done for the Earth-Moon system. The Earth and Moon orbit around a common centre of gravity at a distance of 346,000km from Earth, giving similar effects to a Lagrange point (read more on http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/edu/HerschelPlanck/EN_13e_L_Points_EarthMoonSystem.pdf) .

With highly sophisticated technologies and equipment , perhaps in the not so distance future space stations can be set up at these points with human settlers. ISS seemed an impossible feat decade ago, this is not far away either. Detecting gravitational waves was dismissed as impossible by Einstein when he first hypothesized their existence. With the aid of analytical and research instruments, mankind will have the priceless aid of having unbiased space-based scientists carrying out remote sensing. Few technologies beat the excitement of this.

Technology knows no bounds. Every time you are convinced that you just bought the newest model of your favourite phone, the blueprint for the next one has already been approved. Perhaps it’s time for remote sensing 2.0…

“Once a new technology rolls over you, if you're not part of the steamroller, you're part of the road. “

- Stewart Brand