NASA's Earth Resources Technology Satellite, ERTS-A, has returned large volumes of imagery from space since its launch in July 1972. Coverage has been obtained over much of the globe, including many little known, rarely (if ever) photographed regions. Virtually all of the United States has been covered, some areas many times over. The quality of the imagery returned is much better than anticipated, although it is less than desirable for other than regional interpretation. ERTS-B and Skylab are follow-on programs, scheduled for 1973, that promise important improvements in quality of photography.

ERTS photographs are being evaluated by many scientists covering many disciplines, including mineral and land resources, agriculture and forestry, environment, water resources, marine resources, land use, etc. Results indicate important findings relative to petroleum and mineral exploration.

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