WMO OSCAR | Gap analyses by variable

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Gap analyses by variable or by type of mission

Please select either a variable or a type of mission to display a time chart of satellite instruments having the potential to provide the corresponding measurements. The selection is based on design characteristics (Expert analysis) or declared mission objectives (Simplified analysis). Such a preliminary analysis does not replace a detailed assessment of the actual instrument performances, data availability, and quality of derived environmental data records against specific user requirements.

Note: The chart can be sorted by clicking on the header columns and filtered by instrument properties when applicable. Select the period of interest with the cursor at the bottom of the chart. Future missions which are not firmly planned are shaded with stripes. A warning icon () indicates degraded satellite: hover over the icon for details. The chart is followed by a table of all potentially relevant instruments.

Select a variable

or select a type of mission

Analysis

Expert system, based on instrument properties Help icon

Simplified, based on mission objectives Help icon

In "Simplified" mode, the results in the analysis are calculated by looking at each instrument's mission objectives: for each instrument we keep track of what the primary, secondary, and opportunity mission objectives are. These mission objectives indicate that an instrument is primarily envisioned to measure variable X, Y and Z, that variables A, B and C are its secondary objective, and that it may offer the opportunity to measure variables I and II although it is not optimized for that. The simplified Gap analysis produces a timeline based on this information. The simplified Gap analysis is only available for analyzing variables, not for missions.

In "Expert system" mode, the results in the analysis are calculated with an expert system. Internally, OSCAR works with a large set of 1700 rules that determine whether or not an instrument is capable of measuring a given variable, and to what degree. When you select "Expert system", the Gap analysis is performed based on this large set of rules.

Measurement timeline for Snow water equivalent

Definition: Vertical depth of the water that would be obtained by melting a snow layer. Linked to snow depth through the density of the snow layer.

Hint: Move around in the timeline by scrolling up, down, left or right.

Found 152 results

Instrument	NRT?	Relevance	Satellite	Orbit	1974	1975	1976	1977	1978	1979	1980	1981	1982	1983	1984	1985	1986	1987	1988	1989	1990	1991	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	2027	2028	2029	2030	2031	2032	2033	2034	2035	2036	2037	2038	2039	2040	2041	2042	2043	2044	2045
AMSR		1 - primary	ADEOS-2	10:30 desc																													X	X
AMSR-2	No	1 - primary	GCOM-W	13:30 asc																																							X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
AMSR-E	No	1 - primary	Aqua	13:30 asc																													X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
GMI (core)	No	1 - primary	GPM Core Observatory	65 °																																									X	X	X	X	X	X	X
TMI		1 - primary	TRMM	35 °																								X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
WindSat	No	1 - primary	Coriolis	06:10 desc																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MADRAS		2 - very high	Megha-Tropiques	20 °																																						X	X	X
MTVZA		2 - very high	Meteor-3M	09:15 asc																												X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N1	09:30 desc																																				X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2	09:30 asc																																									X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-1	15:09 asc																																												X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-2	15:00 asc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-3	15:09 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-4	09:00 desc																																																X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-5	15:00 desc																																																		X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY		2 - very high	Meteor-M N2-6	09:00 asc																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY-MP		2 - very high	Meteor-MP N1	15:30 asc																																																				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-GY-MP		2 - very high	Meteor-MP N2	09:30 desc																																																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MTVZA-OK (MW)		2 - very high	SICH-1M	82.5 °																															X	X	X
MWI (MetOp-SG)		2 - very high	Metop-SG-B1	09:30 desc																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWI (MetOp-SG)		2 - very high	Metop-SG-B2	09:30 desc																																																										X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWI (MetOp-SG)		2 - very high	Metop-SG-B3	09:30 desc																																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI		2 - very high	FY-3A	09:05 desc																																			X
MWRI	Yes	2 - very high	FY-3B	13:38 asc																																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI	Yes	2 - very high	FY-3C	10:15 desc																																								X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI	Yes	2 - very high	FY-3D	14:00 asc																																												X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI		2 - very high	FY-3F	10:00 desc																																																X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI		2 - very high	FY-3G	14:00 asc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI		2 - very high	FY-3RM-1	50 °																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI		2 - very high	FY-3RM-2	50 °																																																		X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I		2 - very high	DMSP-F08	06:10 desc														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I		2 - very high	DMSP-F10	07:30 desc																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I		2 - very high	DMSP-F11	05:00 desc																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I		2 - very high	DMSP-F12	03:35 desc																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I		2 - very high	DMSP-F13	05:51 desc																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F14	17:00 asc																								X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSM/I	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F15	14:50 asc																										X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSMIS	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F16	06:20 asc																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSMIS	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F17	06:20 desc																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSMIS	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F18	07:08 desc																																				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SSMIS	No	2 - very high	DMSP-F19	06:36 desc																																									X	X	X
COWVR		2 - very high	ISS COWVR	51.6 °																																																X	X	X	X
Delta-2D		2 - very high	Okean-O-1	82.5 °																										X	X
MWRI (HY-2)		2 - very high	HY-2A	06:00 desc																																						X	X	X	X	X	X
MWRI (HY-2)		2 - very high	HY-2B	06:00 desc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X
SHF		2 - very high	Meteor-P1	81.2 °	X	X	X
SHF		2 - very high	Meteor-P2	81.2 °			X	X	X
SHF		2 - very high	Meteor-P3	10:15 asc				X	X	X
SHF		2 - very high	Meteor-P6	10:15 asc								X	X	X
SMMR		2 - very high	Nimbus-7	12:00 desc					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SMMR		2 - very high	SeaSat	108 °					X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Meteor-MP N1	15:30 asc																																																				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Meteor-MP N2	09:30 desc																																																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Obzor-R N1	TBD																																																X	X	X	X	X	X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Obzor-R N2	TBD																																																		X	X	X	X	X	X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Obzor-R N3	TBD																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X
BRLK “Briz”		3 - high	Obzor-R N4	TBD																																																				X	X	X	X	X	X
COSI		3 - high	KOMPSAT-5	06:00 asc																																								X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
CSG-SAR		3 - high	CSG-1	06:00 asc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
CSG-SAR		3 - high	CSG-2	06:00 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
HRWS-SAR		3 - high	HRWS-SAR	06:00 desc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
MeteoSAR		3 - high	Meteor-M N2-3	15:09 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
MeteoSAR		3 - high	Meteor-M N2-4	09:00 desc																																																X	X	X	X	X	X
MeteoSAR		3 - high	Meteor-M N2-5	15:00 desc																																																		X	X	X	X	X	X
MeteoSAR		3 - high	Meteor-M N2-6	09:00 asc																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O-1	82.5 °																										X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-1	82.5 °													X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-2	82.5 °														X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-3	82.5 °															X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-4	82.5 °																X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-5	82.5 °																	X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-6	82.5 °																		X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	Okean-O1-7	82.5 °																					X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	SICH-1	82.5 °																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X
RLSBO		3 - high	SICH-1M	82.5 °																															X	X	X
SAR-2000	No	3 - high	CSK-1	06:00 asc																																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-2000	No	3 - high	CSK-2	06:00 asc																																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-2000	No	3 - high	CSK-3	06:00 asc																																			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-2000	No	3 - high	CSK-4	06:00 asc																																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X		3 - high	TanDEM-X	06:00 desc																																					X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X		3 - high	TerraSAR-X	06:00 desc																																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X		3 - high	TSX-NG	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X (Paz (SEOSAR))		3 - high	SEOSAR/Paz	06:00 asc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X (RISAT-2)		3 - high	RISAT-2	41 °																																				X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X (RISAT-2)		3 - high	RISAT-2B	37 °																																														X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X (RISAT-2)		3 - high	RISAT-2BR1	37 °																																														X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-X (RISAT-2)		3 - high	RISAT-2BR2	37 °																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
Severjanin-M		3 - high	Meteor-M N1	09:30 desc																																				X	X	X	X
Severjanin-M		3 - high	Meteor-M N2	09:30 asc																																									X	X	X	X	X	X	X
W-SAR		3 - high	HY-3A	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
W-SAR		3 - high	HY-3B	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
XSAR		3 - high	ASNARO-2	06:00 desc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X
AMI-SAR		3 - high	ERS-1	10:30 desc																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
AMI-SAR		3 - high	ERS-2	10:30 desc																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
ASAR		3 - high	Envisat	10:00 desc																													X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR (RadarSat-1)		3 - high	RadarSat-1	06:00 desc																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR (RadarSat-1)	No	3 - high	RadarSat-2	06:00 desc																																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR RCM		3 - high	RCM-1	06:00 desc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR RCM		3 - high	RCM-2	06:00 desc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR RCM		3 - high	RCM-3	06:00 desc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (GF-3)		3 - high	GF-3	06:00 desc																																											X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (GF-3)		3 - high	GF-12	06:00 desc																																														X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (RISAT)		3 - high	RISAT-1	06:00 desc																																							X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (RISAT)		3 - high	RISAT-1A	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)	No	3 - high	Sentinel-1A	06:00 desc																																									X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)		3 - high	Sentinel-1B	06:00 desc																																											X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)	No	3 - high	Sentinel-1C	06:00 desc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)	No	3 - high	Sentinel-1D	06:00 desc																																																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-Travers		4 - fair	Resurs-O1-1	10:15 asc												X	X
S-SAR		4 - fair	NovaSAR-S	10:30 asc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-10		4 - fair	Kondor-E1	74.75 °																																									X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-10		4 - fair	Kondor-E	74.75 °																																								X	X
SAR-S		4 - fair	HJ-1C	06:00 desc																																							X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-S (NISAR)		4 - fair	NI-SAR	06:00 desc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
PALSAR		4 - fair	ALOS	10:30 desc																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
PALSAR-2	No	4 - fair	ALOS-2	12:00 desc																																									X	X	X	X	X	X	X
PALSAR-3		4 - fair	ALOS-4	12:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR		4 - fair	SeaSat	108 °					X
SAR (JERS)		4 - fair	JERS	10:45 desc																			X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-L		4 - fair	SAOCOM-1A	06:00 asc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-L		4 - fair	SAOCOM-1B	06:00 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-L		4 - fair	SAOCOM-2A	06:00 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-L		4 - fair	SAOCOM-2B	06:00 asc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SAR-L (NISAR)		4 - fair	NI-SAR	06:00 desc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
WindRAD		5 - marginal	FY-3E	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
WindRAD		5 - marginal	FY-3H	06:00 desc																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X
NSCAT		5 - marginal	ADEOS	10:30 desc																							X	X
OSCAT		5 - marginal	OceanSat-2	11:53 desc																																				X	X	X	X	X	X
OSCAT		5 - marginal	OceanSat-3	12:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
OSCAT		5 - marginal	ScatSat-1	08:27 desc																																											X	X	X	X	X	X
OSCAT		5 - marginal	OceanSat-3A	12:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
RapidScat		5 - marginal	ISS RapidScat	51.6 °																																									X	X	X
SASS		5 - marginal	SeaSat	108 °					X
SCAT (CFOSAT)		5 - marginal	CFOSAT	07:00 desc																																													X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (CFOSAT)		5 - marginal	CFOSAT follow-on	07:00 desc																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2A	06:00 desc																																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2B	06:00 desc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2C	66 °																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2D	66 °																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2E	06:00 desc																																															X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2F	66 °																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCAT (HY-2A)		5 - marginal	HY-2G	66 °																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X
SeaWinds		5 - marginal	ADEOS-2	10:30 desc																													X	X
SeaWinds		5 - marginal	QuikSCAT	06:00 asc																										X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
AMI-SCAT		5 - marginal	ERS-1	10:30 desc																		X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
AMI-SCAT		5 - marginal	ERS-2	10:30 desc																						X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
ASCAT	Yes	5 - marginal	Metop-A	09:30 desc																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
ASCAT	Yes	5 - marginal	Metop-B	09:30 desc																																							X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
ASCAT		5 - marginal	Metop-C	09:30 desc																																													X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCA (Scatterometer)		5 - marginal	Metop-SG-B1	09:30 desc																																																			X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCA (Scatterometer)		5 - marginal	Metop-SG-B2	09:30 desc																																																										X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X
SCA (Scatterometer)		5 - marginal	Metop-SG-B3	09:30 desc																																																																	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X

All instruments for measuring Snow water equivalent

Instruments	Relevance	Operational limitations
AMSR	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
AMSR-2	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
AMSR-E	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
GMI (core)	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
TMI	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
WindSat	1 - primary	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
GMI (constellation)	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MADRAS	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MTVZA	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MTVZA-GY	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MTVZA-GY-MP	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MTVZA-OK (MW)	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MWI (MetOp-SG)	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MWRI	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SSM/I	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SSMIS	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
COWVR	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
Delta-2D	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
MWRI (HY-2)	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SHF	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SMMR	2 - very high	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SAR-X/Ku	3 - high	Infrequent coverage..
BRLK “Briz”	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
COSI	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
CSG-SAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
HRWS-SAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
MeteoSAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
RLSBO	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-2000	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-X	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-X (Paz (SEOSAR))	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-X (RISAT-2)	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
Severjanin-M	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
W-SAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
XSAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
AMI-SAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
ASAR	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR (RadarSat-1)	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR RCM	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-C (GF-3)	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-C (RISAT)	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-C (Sentinel-1)	3 - high	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-Travers	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
S-SAR	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-10	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-S	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-S (NISAR)	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-S (NovaSAR)	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
InSAR	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
PALSAR	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
PALSAR-2	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
PALSAR-3	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR (JERS)	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-L	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
SAR-L (NISAR)	4 - fair	Change detection only.. Infrequent coverage..
WindRAD	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
NSCAT	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
OSCAT	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
RapidScat	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SASS	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SCAT (CFOSAT)	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SCAT (HY-2A)	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SCAT (Meteor-M N3)	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SeaWinds	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
AMI-SCAT	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
ASCAT	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..
SCA (Scatterometer)	5 - marginal	Coarse spatial resolution.. Ground stations network needed..