From an article in Room by Clint Graumann.
These space-based assets have paved the way for extensive applications in both the commercial and governmental sectors, ranging from military reconnaissance to global climate monitoring. They have effectively demonstrated a viable model of data transfer from ground to air, from air to government (space) and from government space to commercial space-based applications. Nonetheless, an important piece of the puzzle remains missing: the implementation of space-based LiDAR collection.
Light Technology
Light detection and ranging (LiDAR) offers a unique advantage in that it enables remote sensing by actively illuminating the Earth’s surface instead of relying upon the light from the sun. In essence, LiDAR is a light-based version of synthetic aperture radar, which itself uses the radio-frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Historically, LiDAR technology has been employed on aircraft or ground-based platforms, using laser pulses to measure distances with extreme precision. This approach creates detailed, real-time, three-dimensional maps. Unlike standard optical imaging, LiDAR can operate in low-light conditions and has the ability to penetrate foliage, such as forest canopies, to reveal hidden details. As a result, LiDAR is indispensable for applications such as flood modelling, environmental monitoring and intelligence gathering.
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