Spatial Resolution

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The exceptional spatial resolution of several new satellites will encroach on the domain that is normally reserved for expensive airborne systems. The spatial resolution, or ground sample distance (GSD), refers to the size of the sensor's detector element projected onto the ground. This figure shows the difference in detail between a 10-meter GSD SPOT image and a simulated 1-meter GSD satellite image. This small GSD will allow for a much wider range of analysis than was possible with the old systems.