SPOT5 Geometric Image Quality
A. Bouillon, E.Breton, F. De Lussy, R. Gachet
CNES - Space Imagery Quality Department
18, avenue Edouard Belin – 31055 TOULOUSE CEDEX – France
Abstract : SPOT5 geometric image quality’s point is different
from other SPOT satellites : with improved location accuracy,
resolution and stereoscopic acuity, the challenge is not only to
fulfill specifications but also to get a geometrically optimized
system. That's why a phase of fine geometrical calibration was
carried on during SPOT5’s first year in orbit, in the continuity
of first two months commissioning phase. This paper deals with
improvements realized during optimization phase : first, each
detection line’s absolute calibration of viewing angles has been
processed; second, continuous calibration sites observations have
been carried on allowing location performances‘ improvement.
I. VIEWING ANGLES’ ABSOLUTE CALIBRATION
This part deals with SPOT5’s each instrument internal
orientation. It consists in determination of each camera’s
magnification factor, relative yaw between two instruments or
two detection lines and each detection line’s distortion
models. Objective is to obtain a 0.1 pixel precise calibration.
A. SPOT5 focal planes’ presentation
SPOT5’s payload is constituted with two High Geometric
Resolution instruments (HRG), and a High Stereoscopic
Resolution instrument (HRS).
Each HRG includes a steering mirror allowing across the
track pointing ability of ± 27° and six detection lines :
- a double detection line at five meters resolution for
panchromatic mode. The two CCD arrays of 12,000
detectors are shifted about 0.5 pixel along lines and 3.5
pixels across lines allowing a relative regular sampling of
0.5 × 0.5 pixel at 2.5 m resolution (THR mode) ;
- four detection lines for multispectral mode : CCD arrays
of 6,000 detectors at 10 meters resolution for B1,B2,B3
and a 10 arrays of 300 CCD at 20 meters resolution
alignment for SWIR band.
Multispectral and panchromatic modes are shifted along
the track about 0.5° respectively behind and ahead nadir.
Two cameras pointing 20° ahead and 20° behind nadir
along the track compose HRS instrument allowing near
simultaneous stereoscopic acquisition with a 0.8 B/H ratio
(90 s or 600 km elapse between the stereoscopic couple’s
images). Each camera has a 12,000 CCD array at ten meters
resolution. Along the track sampling is realized every five
meters to improve altimetric resolution.
B. Calibration methods
Three methods have been used.
0-7803-7929-2/03/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE
Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on August 8, 2009 at 08:40 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.
0-7803-7930-6/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE
First, external orientation is based on ground control points
(see part II).
Second, relative orientation is measured thanks to a fine
correlation process applied every ten pixels on couple of
simultaneous images with high recovering, and highly
redundant measures ensured by a high number of images lines
(typically 50,000 lines does 5,000 measures). This method
was applied for SPOT5 between the two HRG’s acquiring the
same ground area; between the two images of THR double
detection line; between different bands of multispectral mode
and finally between panchromatic and multispectral mode.
This last comparison is possible only when the 2 modes are
simultaneously acquired over an area with reference DTM
available.
Third, absolute calibration has been computed for HRS and
each HRG panchromatic and multispectral reference band by
comparison to a reference data set composed of aerial
photographs, precise DTM and precise geometric models
obtained by aerotriangulation. Reference data is projected into
the satellite image’s geometry and then a correlation process
gives correspondence between them. The aerial cover was
updated in July 2002 which ensure good similarity with
SPOT5 acquisitions. Finally, geometric model of the satellite
data is taken into account in order to analyse only residual
defaults.
C. Results
Relative measures between the two image of THR mode
showed no residue higher than 0.1 pixel.
Relative measures between different bands of multispectral
mode showed some residual distortion modeled with a 5
degrees polynomial and linear by pieces for MIR, relative to
B2 reference band (see examples fig. 1 and 2). It ensures a
multispectral registration better than 0.2 10 m pixels
(diameter of a circle containing every pixels’ centers).
0,4
B1 model
0,3
B2 (reference)
0,2 B3 model
(10 m. pixel)
Distortion
0,1
0
-0,1
-0,2
0 600 1200 1800 2400 3000 3600 4200 4800 5400 6000
Multispectral pixel number
Figure 1 : Across the track multispectral distortion model for HRG1
303
 -0,7 D. Conclusion
-0,8 0.1 pixel precision was not obvious to reach. First,
-0,9 reference data set’s precision must be compatible of the goal.
(10 m. pixel)

In our case, 50 cm. planimetric precision (0.1 5 m. pixel) and

Distortion

-1
80 cm. altimetric precision ( 0.1 × 0.8 10 m. pixel) were
-1,1 necessary. Second, while using correlation processing,
Measures
-1,2 diachrony must be avoided. That’s why an updated aerial
Model
-1,3
cover was needed and that only couple of simultaneous
images were used. Finally, comparing our different sources of
0 300 600 900 1200 1500 1800 2100 2400 2700 3000
measures (absolute and relative) has been the way to validate
SWIR pixel number
obtained results.
Figure 2 : Along the track SWIR distortion model for HRG1 Now, the best possible effort has been done to calibrate
Absolute observations for the two HRG panchromatic and SPOT5’s focal planes.
multispectral reference band allowed calibration of a residual
II. LOCATION’S IMPROVEMENT WITH A LATITUDINAL MODEL
magnification factor (5.10-4 for HRG1, 2.10-4 for HRG2); a
relative yaw panchromatic/multispectral (215 µrads for All along SPOT satellites’ life, ground control points are
HRG1, 70 µrads for HRG2) and HRG1/HRG2 (-235 µrads) ; taken over images to follow location performance. For
and 5 degrees polynomials for across and along track residual SPOT5, these measures were reinforced during first year in
defaults. orbit in order to optimize the location performance especially
Relative measures between the 2 HRG’s and between for HRS. This part presents the results of year 2002
panchromatic and multispectral have confirmed these observations.
corrections except for HRG2 panchromatic polynomials
which were improved thanks to relative A. Principles
panchromatic/multispectral measures.
After correction, remains are lower than ± 0.04 5 m pixel. Approximately 20 calibration sites world wide distributed
have been chosen for their cartographic data available. Each
Absolute observations for HRS allowed calibration of month, ten images for each instrument available over these
residual magnification factor (3.5.10-5 for HRS1, 2.6.10-5 for sites are selected to be fit out with ground control points. As
HRS2), relative yaw HRS1/HRS2 of -45 µrads, and soon as it is possible, simultaneous images of each instrument
polynomial for along and across the track residues (see over one site are preferred. No tie points are used, each image
examples fig. 3 and 4). After correction, remains are lower is studied independently.
than ± 0.05 10 m. pixel. Ground control points are used first to follow location
performances of each instrument, second to analyze trends
0,2
and improve the geometric calibration.
0,15
correction (pixels)

B. Latitudinal model
0,1
0,05
An orbital variation of location performances has been
noticed which is linked with thermal behavior of the payload.
0 A model is proposed to take into account this variation in
-0,05 order to improve HRS’ location performance.
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 Each HRS’ location measure has been traduced into yaw,
HRS pixel number pitch and roll bias trough a spatiotriangulation process. In this
Figure 3 : HRS2 across the track correction polynomial process, each image’s parameters are independent. Variation
of bias with latitude corrected with solar angle can be fit out
with 2 degrees polynomial (see fig. 5). Doing solar
0,2 declination’s correction takes into account real solar exposure
of the payload as it is the phenomenon’s source. Corrected
correction (pixels)

0,1
latitude is given by (1).
0

-0,1 § day − ref _ day ·

l _ cor = l − 23,5 × cos¨ 2π × ¸ (1)
-0,2 © 365 ¹
0 2000 4000 6000 8000 10000 12000 l_cor : latitude corrected with solar declination (degrees)
HRS pixel number l : image’s centre latitude (degrees)
Figure 4 : HRS2 along the track correction polynomial
day : image‘s acquisition day
ref_day : reference day : 21/06/2003, julian day 19529

0-7803-7929-2/03/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE 304

Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on August 8, 2009 at 08:40 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

0-7803-7930-6/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE

 60 HRS2 HRS1 HRS2 HRS1
40 RMS : 24 m 90% : 33 m
RMS : 48 m 90% : 63 m
20
Roll (µrad)

0 90 60

Along the track (meters)

Along the track (meters)
-20
-40 60 40
-60 30 20
-80
-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 0 0
Latitude corrected with solar angle (degrees) -30 -20

80 -60 -40
60 -90 -60
40
Pitch (µrad)

20 -90 -60 -30 0 30 60 90 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

0 Across the track (meters)
-20 Across the track (meters)
-40 Figure 6 : HRS’ location performances, raw (on the left) and with latitudinal
-60
-80 models (on the right)
-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 Applying the latitudinal model for HRS and HRG allows a
Latitude corrected with solar angle (degrees) location performance of 50 m. for HRG and 33 m. for HRS
160 (distance for 90 % of the measures) : see fig. 6. As models
120
Yaw (µrad)

80 have been estimated to fit to HRS measures the optimisation

40
0
-40
-80
-120
-160
-60 -50 -40 -30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Latitude corrected with solar angle (degrees)
Figure 5 : Degree 2 polynomials fitting with HRS location measures
Polynomials are used to correct image’s attitude restitution
with a yaw, pitch and roll bias, Yb, Pb and Rb, depending on
the corrected latitude l_cor of the image’s centre. They are
given by (2) and TABLE I.
­ Yb = Y 0 + Y 1× l _ cor + Y 2 × l _ cor 2
° instrument as it would result in incoherent attitude profiles
® Pb = P 0 + P1× l _ cor + P 2 × l _ cor
2
° Rb = R 0 + R1× l _ cor + R 2 × l _ cor 2
¯ payload, but at second order due to each instrument’s position
TABLE I
ATTITUDE CORRECTION BIAS POLYNOMIALS COEFFICIENTS IN MICRORADIANS
µrad Y P
0 8 -1
1 0.3379 1.046
2 -0.00965 0.00176
Moreover, these models have not been taken into account
while performing internal orientation of HRS instrument :
HRS1/HRS2 relative yaw, pitch and roll has been corrected
including variation of the latitudinal model between the 2
acquisitions (90 s, or 600 km). This variation must be
removed to operate the latitudinal model with HRS.
C. Impact on the location performance
works better on HRS.
D. Conclusion
First results are satisfying. Still, several improvements are
possible.
First, taking into account polynomial correction of attitude
restitution angles instead of a bias would be more relevant
while treating long images.
Second, an optimisation based on attitude correction is
restrictive. The correction should not be different for each
(2) while operating different instruments in a spatiotriangulation
process. Still, thermal behaviour might be at first order due to
on the payload. A second model based on internal orientation
angles and depending on the instrument would provide a
R benefit.
-39
1.35933
0.00755 Third, after taking into account corrected latitude models,
remains are expected to depend on time. An additional model
is in preparation to take into account seasonal and ageing
effects.
Finally, our estimation process did not take into account
stereoscopic ability of HRS. Exploiting HRS’ couple with tie
points in a spatiotriangulation process would allow an even
better location performance.

A first calibration was performed at the end of the REFERENCES

commissioning phase taking into account absolute alignments
bias and a calibration of HRG's steering mirror positioning
defaults [1]. The location performance obtained with this
calibration is about 66 m. for HRG’s and 63 m. for HRS [1] A. Bouillon, E. Breton, F. De Lussy, R Gachet, “SPOT5 HRG and HRS
first in-flight geometric quality results”, in Proceedings of SPIE Remote
(distance for 90% of the measures) Sensing 2002, reference 4881A-31

0-7803-7929-2/03/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE 305

Authorized licensed use limited to: M Th Koelen. Downloaded on August 8, 2009 at 08:40 from IEEE Xplore. Restrictions apply.

0-7803-7930-6/$17.00 (C) 2003 IEEE