Sensor Web: Smart Satellites

Smart Satellites Get a Closer Look - Along with semi-autonomous advancements in the RapidFire system, NASA is testing new integration techniques with the EO-1 spacecraft and its cutting edge ALI instrument. It works like this: when MODIS spots an area on the ground that may indicate fire, advanced software puts out an alert. That message essentially instructs ALI to point itself towards the zone of interest and get a close-up. If the resulting picture from this orbital dance shows risk for fire, the system can alert experts and officials to take action on the ground. The whole process is automated. That makes the observations and analysis fast, and in terms of fire management, speed counts. A system like this has the potential to greatly accelerate notification of potential trouble spots before they can get out of hand.