Coastal Services Center

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IKONOS

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Summary | Different Data Products | Applied Uses | Specifications | Data Ordering Details | Frequently Asked Questions | For More Information

Summary

IKONOS is a commercial satellite that collects high-resolution imagery at 1- and 4-meter resolution. It offers multispectral (MS) and panchromatic (PAN) imagery. IKONOS was launched on September 24, 1999, and provides imagery beginning January 1, 2000. Space Imaging, Inc. distributes IKONOS imagery under the product name CARTERRA.

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Different Data Products

Point to the names below to view the different data products.

1-Meter Panchromatic
1-Meter Pan-Sharpened
Pan-Sharpened NIR False Color
4-Meter Multispectral

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Applied Uses

Examples of how IKONOS data are being used:

	Coral Reef Mapping The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is testing the imagery's utility in accurately mapping coral reefs in the Pacific.
	Updating Roads Data The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) is testing the imagery's ability to assist in updating roads and highway data.

Other Potential Uses:

• Habitat Studies
  • Habitat Mapping
  • Wetland/Riparian Studies
• Natural Resource Management
  • Land Use/Land Cover Mapping and Analysis
  • Forestry
  • Agriculture
  • Mining and exploration
  • Environmental Assessments
• Urban Studies
  • Transportation
  • Emergency Response Planning: Evacuation Routing and Updating 911 Services and Maps
  • City Planning

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Specifications

Spatial Resolution

• 1-meter panchromatic (1-m PAN)
• 4-meter multispectral (4-m MS)
• 1-meter pan-sharpened (1-m PS)

Spectral Resolution

Band	1-m PAN	4-m MS & 1-m PS
1 (Blue)	0.45-0.90 µm	0.445-0.516 µm
2 (Green)	--	0.506-0.595 µm
3 (Red)	--	0.632-0.698 µm
4 (Near IR)	--	0.757-0.853 µm

Temporal Resolution – The revisit rate for IKONOS is 3 to 5 days off-nadir and 144 days for true-nadir.

Swath – 11 km x 11 km (Single Scene)

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Data Ordering Details

Data Acquisition	IKONOS was launched on September 24, 1999, and is owned and operated by Space Imaging, Inc. The data were first available January 1, 2000. Space Imaging, Inc. distributes IKONOS imagery under the product name CARTERRA. more info
Timing	For areas of interest (AOI) less than 500 sq km, it takes 10 to 14 days to receive archived imagery; 60 days if the imagery must be collected. For all other image products, it can take up to 120 days.
Cost	The prices of IKONOS imagery vary based on the accuracy of the product's georeferencing and any special data requests (i.e., different swath size, viewing angle, etc.). Price information can be found at the Space Imaging, Inc. Web site.
Data Formats/Software Needed	Choice of untiled GeoTIFF or uncompressed NITF (National Imagery Transmission Format) 2.0. NITF format is available to approved government customers and supports 3-band 8-bit data, or 4 separate bands at 8-bit or 11-bit. Resellers also offer IKONOS imagery in a variety of formats.
Projections	Supported Projections: Choice of Universal Transverse Mercator, State Plane, Albers Conic Equal Area, Lambert Conformal Conic, or Transverse Mercator. Supported Datums: Choice of World Geodetic System of 1984 (WGS84), North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83), or North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27). WGS84 available worldwide. NAD83 available in North America only. NAD27 available in CONUS only.
Licensing	All IKONOS imagery has user license agreements. The degree of licensing depends on the type of user and the intent for the data. The different licensing categories and costs can be obtained from Space Imaging, Inc.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Data Aquisition

Who produces the data?
IKONOS is owned and operated by Space Imaging, Inc.

Where can I get it?
Space Imaging, Inc. distributes IKONOS imagery under the product name CARTERRA. CARTERRA IKONOS imagery can be purchased directly from Space Imaging, Inc.

Can I download or request the imagery on-line?
IKONOS imagery may be ordered via the Web at www.spaceimaging.com, or by phone (1-800-232-9037). Imagery is delivered on CD-ROM. Sample imagery can be downloaded from the Web site or delivered on CD-ROM.

Data Formats/Software Needed

What are the differences between 8-bit and 11-bit imagery?
IKONOS imagery can be ordered as 8-bit or 11-bit.

8-bit images contain a pixel value range from 0 to 255.
This choice of imagery

• can limit or "clip" the amount of highlights and shadow detail,
• provides less variation in image tones and intensity,
• has a smaller file size (than 11-bit), and
• is ideal for small, easier-to-use images for visual interpretation.

11-bit images contain a pixel value range from 0 to 2047.
This choice of imagery

• provides full IKONOS dynamic range,
• increases shadow and highlight detail,
• increases tonal variation and intensity,
• has a larger file size,
• is ideal for extensive image analysis, and
• requires software that can view 16-bit image data.

Is there freeware available for viewing the data?
Space Imaging provides a free viewing software package, ERDAS Imagine® Viewfinder, with the purchase of IKONOS imagery.

What software is needed?
IKONOS imagery is commonly formatted as a GeoTIFF. Any software capable of processing 8-bit or 11-bit GeoTIFF data can view the imagery. Examples include the following:

• Adobe® PhotoShop®
• Paint Shop Pro®

Higher-end image processing and analysis will require specialized software, including these examples:

• ESRI products (ArcView®, ArcInfo®, ArcGIS®, etc.)
• ERDAS Imagine + Orthobase®
• ER Mapper®
• RSI ENVI®
• PCI Geomatica® + Orthoengine® & IKONOS support module
• SOCET SET®

11-bit data are difficult to view in ESRI ArcView 3.x. To view 11-bit data properly, it may be necessary to purchase MrSID or ESRI's Image Analysis Extension for ArcView. For specifics on viewing IKONOS imagery with ESRI Products, contact ESRI.

IKONOS comes from Space Imaging in two major formats: 1) GeoTIFF and 2) NITF. Most image software packages can read GeoTIFF formats, but most cannot read NITF formats.

Space Imaging provides a free image viewer (ERDAS Imagine ViewFinder) with each order and with sample imagery.

General Questions

How do clouds affect the data?
IKONOS imagery is acquired when clouds cover less than 20 percent of the area. Although clouds cover less than 20 percent of the imagery, they can obscure ground cover and create shadows, making interpretation and processing more difficult.

What level of technical expertise is needed to use imagery?
A general understanding of the software is needed to view the imagery. Image processing and analyses of IKONOS imagery data may require a trained technical person.

Can the IKONOS satellite be pointed at a target area?
Most IKONOS images are collected at various off-nadir angles. Images are collected at angles between 90 degrees (nadir ) and 60 degrees (off-nadir ). Requests for specific view angles require a special order and pricing.

Does imagery collected off-nadir have any limitations?
Imagery is rarely collected at true nadir because scheduling of the satellite is set. Off-nadir collected imagery is resampled to its respected 1-meter and 4-meter resolution.

The native off-nadir resolutions range from:
- 0.8 m to 1.2 m for 1-meter data
- 3.2 m to 4.8 m for 4-meter data

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For more Information

• Space Imaging, Inc.
• NOAA Coastal Remote Sensing Frequently Asked Questions

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