Introduction

The following web site includes detailed characteristics for several of Earth's active, civilian satellites rotating above the Earth's atmosphere. 

In order to understand the information provided, a few key concepts must be explained pertaining to the resolution of various satellite instruments.

Many satellite remote sensing systems operate in fixed orbits with fixed optical systems that have a constant instantaneous field of view (IFOV). The fixed optical systems include simple cameras, radar and multi-spectral instruments in hopes of collecting electromagnetic radiation data.  This data can then be interpreted for desired results.

Definitions:

spatial resolution -  this is a sensor's dimension in meters (or feet) of the ground-projected IFOV.  Generally, the smaller the spatial resolution, the greater the resolving power of the sensor system. 

spectral resolution -  this refers to the number and dimension of specific wavelength intervals in the electromagnetic spectrum to which a remote sensing instrument is sensitive.  The term multispectral remote sensing refers to the task of recording radiant energy as multiple bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.  "Multiple" is usually more than 100 bands. 

temporal resolution - this is an exact measurement of time, referrring to how often a remote sensing satellite records a specific area.  In most cases, it is the amount of time it takes for a satellite to pass around the earth - the time of 1 full rotation. 

radiometric resolution - this is the sensitivity of a detector to differences in signal strength as it records the radiated flux reflected or emitted from the Earth's surface. 

geostationary satellite - this is a satellite that stays above the same point of the earth's surface, as the satellite rotates around the rotating earth.  This type of satellite is excellent for viewing one location for long periods of time.  However, they are poor for viewing the polar regions of the earth.  

polar-orbiting satellite - this is a satellite that orbits the earth in a polar path, allowing a high temporal resolution.