Orthocorrection of KH-5 ARGON Satellite Imagery of Aral Sea

Abstract

Declassified Intelligence Satellite Imagery is a unique source of historical environmental data. Three consecutive and overlapping images of the ARGON, the first dedicated mapping mission from 1962 depicting the surrounding of the Aral Sea were orthocorrected using Ground Control Points. As ARGON mission had a frame type camera, a least squares estimation of exterior orientation parameters were estimated using space resection. A modified space resection algorithm was used to estimate (beside the exterior orientation) the camera principal point coordinates and lens distortion correction coefficients. The overall accuracy of the orthocorrected images are in good accordance with the results of other authors.