Photogrammetric point determination using MOMS-02/D2 imagery

During the second German spacelab mission D2, successfully flown in spring 1993, the Modular Opto-electronic Multispectral Scanner MOMS-02 acquired digital high resolution, along track, 3-fold stereoscopic imagery of the earth surface. The scientific processing of the data is conducted by several German university institutes and the German Aerospace Research Establishment (DLR). The major goal is to realize the entire photogrammetric processing chain using digital MOMS-02 imagery. The emphasis of this paper is put on the photogrammetric point determination using MOMS-02 panchromatic 3-line imagery of Australia (D2-orbit 75b). Two independent sets of conjugate image points were derived at Stuttgart University using a feature based matching approach and also at the Technical University Munich using a modified Otto/Chau region growing algorithm which had previously been applied to SPOT and airborne MEOSS line scanner imagery with good success. In the bundle adjustment a refined mathematical model of the interior and exterior orientation takes into account the specific MOMS-02 geometry. After describing the derivation and characteristics of the input data the functional model is briefly summarized. The results of the bundle adjustment, as compared against 43 independent check points, are presented and discussed. An empirical standard deviation of approximately 1 pixel (13.5 m) was obtained for each coordinate. Finally, the first experience with the MOMS-02/D2 data are concluded and an outlook towards the forthcoming MOMS-2P/PRIRODA mission onboard the Russian space station MIR, scheduled for early 1996, is given.