Accessing Historical Satellite Images of Your Property: A Comprehensive Guide

Whether you are conducting research, monitoring for changes, or simply curiously about the history of your property, accessing historical satellite images can be a valuable tool. This guide explores various methods to view satellite images of your property from specific days within a week, addressing the challenges and providing solutions for different needs and budgets.

Introduction to Satellite Imagery

Satellite imagery offers a unique perspective on our planet, providing high-resolution images that capture the Earth's surface from above. However, the availability and accessibility of these images can vary based on the provider and the specific date of interest. This article delves into the most effective ways to access satellite images of your property from a specific day, covering both free and paid options.

Options for Accessing Satellite Images

Google Earth

Google Earth is a widely used platform for viewing satellite imagery and provides a time slider feature that allows you to explore historical images of a location. By navigating to your property and using the time slider, you can view images from specific dates if they are available.

NASA Worldview

NASA's Worldview tool is another excellent resource for accessing satellite imagery. Primarily, it focuses on data from NASA's satellites, which may not cover all locations daily. However, it remains a powerful tool for accessing high-quality, detailed imagery from specific dates.

Sentinel Hub

Sentinel Hub provides access to satellite data from the European Space Agency's Sentinel satellites. You can search for specific dates and locations, and it offers a variety of processing options for the imagery, including cloud removal and atmospheric correction.

Commercial Providers

Companies such as Planet Labs and Maxar offer high-resolution satellite images and may have archives that allow you to request specific dates. However, these services often require a subscription or payment. Despite the costs, the ability to access detailed imagery is invaluable for research and monitoring purposes.

Local Government or Mapping Services

Sometimes, local governments or municipalities provide historical aerial imagery through their planning or GIS (Geographic Information System) departments. These resources may not offer as much detail or coverage as satellite imagery but are still a valuable resource.

Understanding Satellite Imagery Capabilities

Not all satellites are created equal, and the quality and detail of imagery can vary significantly. Most satellites capable of detailed visual imagery resolve a couple of feet per pixel. However, they are in different types of orbits, such as polar, sun-synchronous, or heliocentric, and revisit the same location at varying intervals.

Types of Satellite Orbits

Polar Orbit: These satellites orbit the Earth from pole to pole, providing coverage of polar regions and other high-latitude areas. sun-synchronous Orbit: These satellites orbit the Earth in coordination with the Sun, providing consistent lighting conditions for imaging. Heliocentric Orbit: These satellites orbit the Sun, covering broader areas and providing different types of imagery at different times.

While some commercial providers can resolve down to a few or several inches, it is important to understand that watching for specific satellite passes and obtaining imagery on a precise date can be challenging. The cost and frequency of detailed imagery captures can be quite high, making it a premium service.

Alternatives to Satellite Imagery

For those on a tighter budget, alternative methods can be considered. Drones provide an affordable and detailed way to capture aerial photographs. Using a commercial remote pilot service such as Dronedeploy can result in orthomosaic maps that can be detailed down to a fraction of an inch.

However, if your needs are for historical imagery, the best you can get is what is available from satellite services on specific days. Unfortunately, there are no free services that catalog imagery by date, and most satellite services do not provide detailed imagery every day.

Conclusion

The availability and accessibility of historical satellite imagery depend on the provider and the specific date of interest. While there are several options available, each comes with its own set of challenges and costs. Understanding the capabilities of different satellite platforms and alternative methods can help you make informed decisions about how to access the imagery you need for your property or research.