1. “The conception, growth accomplishments and future of meteorological satellites,” NASA Conference Publication 2257,1980
2. P. D. Lowman, “Landsat and Apollo: The Forgotten Legacy,” PE&RS, Vol. 65, No 10, Oct. 1999, pp. 1143–1146
3. http://academic.emporia.edu
/aberjame/remote/landsat/landsat.htm (Author: J. S. Aber)
4. Ironically, objections of the State Department and DoD against the distribution of civil high-resolution Earth imagery (in the optical and microwave regions) and the proliferation of space technology have been around ever since and continue to be a major issue in US space policy. Special rules (including shutter control) may be imposed in particular conflict situations to restrict US-based commercial remote-sensing firms from unauthorized distribution of their imagery. Special rules apply also to the export of space technology by US companies. However, with space-imaging technology readily available outside the USA, the US-internal control functions became more or less ineffective as of 2000.
5. The policies on US remote sensing technologies and their restrictions evolved from two primary sources: a) the secret capabilities first developed for the NRO (National Reconnaissance Office), and b) civil systems like the Landsat series instruments MSS and TM. Originally, commercial considerations were not a factor in either of these areas.