ALOS sends its first image

[FLO]

This image of Mt. Fuji is the first data to be acquired by Japan’s recently launched Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) on 24 January 2006. ESA is supporting ALOS as a 'Third Party Mission', which means the Agency will utilise its multi-mission ground systems of existing national and industrial facilities and expertise to acquire, process and distribute data from the satellite to users.

Mt. Fuji – Japan’s highest mountain (3 776 metres) – is a volcano that has been dormant since its last eruption in 1707. It is located near the Pacific coast and straddles the prefectures of Yamanashi and Shizuoka about 100 kilometres west of Tokyo.

Detailed streets and rivers in the Kofu Basin are visible in the front of the image, and Motosu Lake, one of five lakes making up the Fuji Five Lake region, is in the centre right. The Fuji-Subaru road, which leads to the top of the mountain from Motosu Lake, can also be seen.

http://tinyurl.com/a8azh

[Naz]

That is one superb image, it shows the topography and just massive Mt Fuji is!

Good find Steve.

nabban

[The Warthog]

Imagine if they had that sucker orbiting Mars. :shock:

[FLO]

My thoughts precisely!

(If you follow the link there is an option to download the hi-res version :shock:)

[Jamie]

Wish i had a scope mounted on top of Mt Fuji.

Now that would be a clear sky.

[mark_smith]

Scary picture quite amazing the detail in the picture.

mark_smith

[radioactive]

It looks a little nippy on the top

[Ant]

That hi res version is blumming amazing - you can see individual cars on the highways...

Is this the Satellite that they were going to use to map the moon? and possibly image the landing sites and put to rest the stupid notion that we may not have stepped foot on the Moon?

Ant

[radioactive]

hey thats an excellent point Ant