SMALL ARTIFICIAL-SATELLITES WITH OPTOELECTRONIC APPARATUS IN PROGRAMSFOR REMOTE PROBING OF THE EARTH

This paper describes the growing role of small satellites with optoele ctronic apparatus at the current stage of development of rocket-space complexes and the requirements on these satellites, as well as new tec hnologies and promising developments in various countries. Plans for t he next five years are discussed, involving about sixty remote-probe p rograms based on small artificial earth satellites. The great signific ance of a commercial basis for the development of space technology is pointed out. (C) 1996 The Optical Society of America.