NASA or the National Aeronautics and Space Administration is a space program that is responsible for civilian and military research on aerospace. It is dedicated to the future of space exploration. The NASA program is based on the results of scientific discovery and research. It strives to improve economic efficiency the world over by issuing the analysis of weather and increasing our awareness towards the scope of hazards such as storms, hurricanes and other weather threats. The program is able to generate an awareness and warn the international community about impending weather-related dangers through detailed satellite imagery.

Importance of NASA Satellite Images:

The NASA satellite images provide a variety of information. They broadcast information that is accessed by instruments on satellites, specially designed to relay telecommunication signals via satellite internet. The NASA satellites pass on information to the base center on the planet through telephonic messages, pictures from satellite TV and emergency snap shots retrieved from ships and aircraft.

The satellite images help governments and rescue operators all over the world to access important diversions in navigation, measure and record changes in vegetation and observe the atmosphere. The satellites that offer dedicated images and information on the atmosphere are known as weather satellites. These satellites provide the base and subsequently world citizens with vital weather forecast and necessary life style and travel related adaptations.

How NASA Satellite Images are Generated:

NASA satellite images are generated with the intent of creating an imaging network for even the most inhospitable regions on land and the oceans. The data accessible via the satellite images is automatic. The horizontal, vertical and temporal resolutions of the images help us to record important changes in the earth's atmosphere and indulge in the prediction of related changes. The satellite images are relayed from two different types of satellites. One is the geostationary and other is the polar orbiting satellite.

The geostationary satellites are positioned at a height above the equator. These satellites remain suspended over the same spot. The geostationary satellite provides pictures every 15 minutes. The images have practically the same resolution as the ones provided by lower polar-orbiting satellites. The powerful computer networking system within processes data for even the relatively smallest land and water areas.

Polar-orbiting satellites pass over the Earth from the North Pole to the South Pole. A time span of 1 hour and 42 minutes is taken to complete each orbit and during this time, the Earth turns by about 25 degrees. This empowers the inset computing system to deliver satellite images of different parts of the surface with every orbit. The polar orbiting satellite orbits much lower than the geostationary satellite. Hence, the images provided are more detailed. This helps in understanding cloud structure. The computing instruments and equipment within also measure temperature vertically through the atmosphere. The resultant numerical forecasting models help with analysis of the state of the atmosphere.

Satellite Imaging Equipment:

NASA Satellite images are the result of application of a variety of instruments. Each instrument or radiometer has its own unique performance. While some measure temperature and humidity vertically, like the spectrometers and interferometers; others act as remote sensing instruments that emit radiation from a transmitting device, like the radar. The measurements by the in-built metric system help the weather bureaus on the planet to analyze and assess rainfall, surface wind speed and other atmosphere related parameters. The information transmitted by the NASA satellites is numerical in nature and the images need further analyzing for accurate forecasting.

Types of NASA Satellite Images:

NASA satellite images are of two basic types – visible satellite images and infrared images. Visible satellite images are black and white images through aerial photography, provided by satellite signals. While clouds usually appear white, land and water surfaces appear black. These images enable access to reflected solar energy or radiation, since visible imagery is produced on account of reflected sunlight and is available only during the day. Visible imagery has a higher resolution that offers details on smaller features. The infrared channel is activated in the presence of heat. The images are the result of the deflection of heat emitted by the earth’s surface, clouds, and the atmosphere and the re-emitting of the same. The infrared channel works on the principles of re-emitted radiation.

NASA satellite images are available 24 hours a day. The colorized imagery highlight land and water features and display temperature data to estimate cloud heights. The images act as observational platforms to enhance human life on the planet.