世界上最早的地球观测卫星计划是1972年美国发射的Landsat—1(ERTS计划)。当时,有许多国家(包括日本)的科学家参加了这一计划,对卫星数据进行分析解译,这也是日本开展从空间对地观测活动的开始。1978年,日本宇宙开发事业团在琦玉县建立了地球观测中心(地面站),并从第二年开始接收Landsat数据。此后,日本的许多研究机关,大学等都开始了对卫星数据的应用和研究工作。近年来,由于全球范围内的森林破坏,土地沙漠 The world’s earliest Earth observation satellite program was the Landsat-1 (ERTS program) launched by the United States in 1972. At that time, scientists from many countries, including Japan, took part in the project to analyze and interpret satellite data. This is also the beginning of Japan’s space observing activities from space to land. In 1978, JAXA established the Earth Observation Center (ground station) in Saitama Prefecture and received Landsat data from the second year onwards. Since then, many research institutes and universities in Japan have begun to apply and study satellite data. In recent years, land deserts due to the destruction of forests worldwide