Martin J. Swetnick 



National Aeronautics and Space Administration 



Office of Space Applications 



At NASA headquarters, in the office of Space Science and 

 Applications, I am responsihle for the Earth Resources Survey Program 

 Oceanography discipline. 



One of the functions of an Earth Resources Survey Program staff 

 scientist Is to prepare and provide material for selling the concept of 

 satellite oceanography to NASA management. Congress, and segments of the 

 oceanograph i c community both within the government and the orivate sector. 



Interest in getting an Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS) 

 flight program underway as early as oossible has been expressed by several 

 members of Congress. Planning an ERTS oceanogranhv mission will be 

 somewhat difficult in view of the lack of a focal point for oceanographic 

 activities within our qovernment. The Identification of potential users 

 of ERTS oceanographv data is another problem that needs to be resolved. 



NASA Is an R & D agency. One of the missions of NASA Is to apply 

 space technology to global synoptic observations of remote sensor techniques 

 for use on satellites. It works with other agencies who can evaluate the 

 capabilities of various remote sensors for providing data on ocean parameters 

 or processes. 



NASA plans to carry out an ERTS program calling for a series of 

 four remote sensing missions. The first two satellites (ERTS A and B) 

 will be directed toward landing mass observations. These satellites will 

 carry a three-color high resolution television camera system and a multl 

 channel Imager. Although this Instrument pavload Is not optimum for ocean 



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