Ground control requirements for precision processing of ERTS images

Abstract

With the successful flight of the ERTS-1 satellite, orbital height images are available for precision processing into products such as 1:1,000,000-scale photomaps and enlargements up to 1:250,000 scale. In order to maintain positional error below 100 meters, control points for the precision processing must be carefully selected, clearly definitive on photos in both X and Y. Coordinates of selected control points measured on existing ½ and 15-minute standard maps provide sufficient accuracy for any space imaging system thus far defined. This procedure references the points to accepted horizontal and vertical datums. Maps as small as 1:250,000 scale can be used as source material for coordinates, but to maintain the desired accuracy, maps of 1:100,000 and larger scale should be used when available.