South African initiative for pre-flight radiometric calibration of satellite imagers

Abstract

Internationally, the remote observation of Earth is rapidly maturing alongside the need for higher accuracy in radiance measurements. Accuracy of, and confidence in Earth radiance measurements is vital for applications such as climate change analysis and the forecasting and detection of natural hazards. The radiance accuracy depends on prelaunch calibration of the observing instruments and continuous post-launch sensor assessment. South Africa, a country on the brink of taking a giant leap into space, is preparing a facility for spectral radiance calibration of satellite imagers. This paper describes the pre-flight radiometric calibration facility.