A type of remotely sensed imagery of the Earth's surface which is produced from data gathered by an orbiting satellite and processed by an Earth receiving station. Several forms of imagery are available based on different technologies: optical, near-infrared, thermal infrared (heat), and microwave (radar). Satellite imagery has many applications including small scale base and thematic mapping, weather forcasting, environmental studies, and military use. Examples of Earth observation satellites are: RADARSAT, LANDSAT, NOAA, SPOT, and ERS. (See remote sensing).