ImageSat has released the first high-resolution images taken by the commercial remote sensing satellite, Eros 1A, which was launched on 5 December. The initial images show Seoul, South Korea, Breste, France (above) and Izmir, Turkey. The 250kg (550lb) Eros 1A, based on an Ofeq satellite bus, was built by ImageSat partner, Israel Aircraft Industries, (Flight International, 12-18 December 2000). Meanwhile, NASA's first hyperspectral imager to work in orbit has been declared operational. The TRW-built instrument, called Hyperion, is aboard the Earth Observing 1 spacecraft - the first satellite in NASA's New Millennium Programme Earth Observing series. Hyperion images the Earth in 220 spectral bands from visible to shortwave with a 30m (100ft) resolution, covering an area of 7.5km by180km (4 .7 miles by 112 miles), providing more detail than the Enhanced Thematic Mapper Plus instrument on Landsat 7.
Source: Flight International
