In 1969, the department of Energy Mines and Resources (now Natural Resources Canada) recommended to Cabinet the establishment of an Inter-agency Committee on Resource Satellites and Remote Airborne Sensing to prepare forecasts for satellite and remote sensing programs and to plan and recommend an organization to carry out these programs. The report entitled Organization for a National Program on Remote Sensing of the Environment was tabled in October, 1970 and after Cabinet approval, led to the creation of the Canada Centre for Remote Sensing (CCRS) in February, 1971.
Over its 40 year history, and through the hard work and dedication of the talented staff that have passed through its doors, CCRS has:
- Received (by virtue of its more northern receiving station at Prince Albert) the first Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS - later Landsat 1) image and presented it at the ISPRS in 1972 in Ottawa;
- Purchased the first commercially sold civilian image analysis system (in 1974 – the Image 100TM);
- Led Canada to be the first country to join in the USA’s earth observation program;
- Developed the Landsat data format used world-wide;
- Built a Laser fluorosensor in the 1970s based on work done of the US Coast Guard (USCG). The system involved NASA, USCG, France, Netherlands, UK, Sweden and Denmark;
- Brought satellite imagery into the National Atlas of Canada;
- Assisted in the development of Landsat & SPOT (Système Probatoire d'Observation de la Terre) processing systems that were adopted worldwide;
- Actively participated in the Landsat Ground Station Operations Working Group (LGSOWG);
- Developed methods to calibrate color Infrared (IR) film;
- Produced Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images of Canadian capital cities and other important Canadian cities;
- Developed standard products from Landsat TM for forest, crops, and geological mapping;
- Completed the first operational RS crop area estimation of potatoes in 1980 for Statistics Canada;
- Worked with the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to develop crop area estimation methods in the US based on CCRS work;
- Operated the Digital Image Correction System (DICS) which geocoded digital products of Landsat Multi-Spectral Scanner (MSS) and TM data;
- Began the work that led to the development of RADARSAT, including SAR processing and preparatory studies on ice and geological applications;
- Developed and operated RESORS, a searchable data base of remote sensing literature, containing over 100,000 citations;
- Developed several web-based remote sensing tutorials, accessed by remote sensing professionals from all over the world;
- Developed methods to operationally estimate annual wheat production which were subsequently applied internationally for crop marketing purposes;
- Developed the concept for generating a national defoliation composite product that integrates Landsat, MERIS, EOSD land cover, and aerial survey data;
- Actively participated in the Committee on Earth Observation (CEOS) working groups on Information Systems, Calibration and Validation, and Education, Training and Capacity Building;
- Actively participated in the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC);
- Participated in Global NOAA AVHRR (Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer) Project led by the USGS EROS Data Center by providing AVHRR data;
- Transferred SAR technology and applications to over 30 countries through the GlobeSAR -1 and -2 programs;
- With Parks Canada, developed and implemented a satellite-based observing system for tracking key indicators of ecological integrity for Canada’s Parks;
- Supported the international Group on Earth Observation (GEO) concept, participating in the development of the Global Earth Observing System of Systems (GEOSS);
- North American Land Use Change Map produced in collaboration with the US and Mexico;
- Developed the first image processing and display package for hyperspectral images - Imaging Spectrometer Data Analysis System (ISDAS)
- Supported NASA and other US and Canadian organizations in planning and executing the Boreal Ecosystem Atmosphere Study in western Canada;
- Developed methods using radar data to identify individual ships and their characteristics;
- Developed the quick-look recorder that led to CCRS being able to apply Landsat data to real-time ice reconnaissance;
- Developed and implemented the first national forest fire observing system based on daily AVHRR data;
- Contributed to the UN resolution that identified EO data as a key part of a national infrastructure (1999).
- Initiated the ‘Radar Data Development Program' (RDDP) in anticipation of RADARSAT-1;
- Influenced sensor design through calibration and validation activities related to RADARSAT 1/2, ALOS-1/2, and the upcoming Sentinel 2 and 3 series, RADARSAT Constellation Mission, and Polar Communications and Weather Satellites;
- In 2003, acquired the Geodetic Survey Division (GSD), responsible for maintaining the Canadian Spatial Reference System (CSRS) which provides fundamental reference values for latitude, longitude, height and gravity, including earth's orientation parameters and rotation rate, as the foundation for the nation's evolving positioning and navigation activities;
- Promotes the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) over aging monumented control infrastructure;
- Participated in the development of the Inuvik Satellite Station Facility (ISSF) in Inuvik, Northwest Territories;
- Contributed to the development of numerous commercially available image processing software tools;
- Published 1000’s of scientific journal papers, conference proceeding contributions and made 1000’s of presentations highlighting state-of-the-art research activities at CCRS;
- Developed a series of National Master Standing Offers (NMSOs) to allow EO data purchased by any one government department to be available to other government researchers at no additional cost;
- Developed the National Earth Observation Data Framework (NEODF) as a prototype system that illustrates a novel approach to improving access to Earth Observation (EO) data and products. The NEODF ensures that valuable EO assets purchased by the Government of Canada are preserved and made available in a timely manner to the federal family of EO users;
- Developed and maintains the Earth Observation Catalogue (CEOCat), providing a powerful and easy-to-use search interface that allows the public to quickly locate raw and/or processed EO data (http://ceocat.ccrs.nrcan.gc.ca);
- Established the Geomatics Emergency Response team to operationally address environmental emergencies with remotely sensed imagery in near real-time;
- Developed Long Term Satellite Data Records (LTSDR) for a series of optical sensors, including AVHRR, SPOT-Vegetation, MODIS and MERIS;
- Employed hundreds of award-winning scientists and engineers, and hosted thousands of visiting students, scientists, post-doctoral fellows, international collaborators.
(Source: correspondence with B. Ryerson, June 2011)
Today, CCRS is delivering Earth Science and Earth Observation imagery and derived products relating to Government of Canada priorities including economic development (the North, resource development); safety, security, sovereignty and stewardship; and environmental assessment and regulatory systems (e.g. Alberta Oil Sands).
CCRS is revitalizing EO leadership through innovative solutions that broaden market share in these three focused areas. 2011 marks CCRS’ 40th anniversary of innovation and excellence in Remote Sensing in Canada.