Remember that, from an image analysis point of view, the processing steps that produce an image that provides the information you need are, by definition, the right steps. There are several possible sources of noise in scanning systems. Since the data are so dense, simple moving window operators can usually spot spurious values and replace them with some sort of average of neighboring values. Examples of such operations include restoring periodic line dropouts, removal of banding, removal of random noise. Such operations are generally foolproof and simply viewing the image after application of the process can assure that it worked properly.
Most modern data come with such problems already fixed.
Correction for atmospheric scattering The effect of haze is to reduce contrast. In a digital image, the effect is to make all the values in a band high relative to an IR band where atmospheric effects are minimal. More sophisticated approaches exist which involve models of the atmosphere's response to the incoming EM energy from the Sun. Geometric Restoration Images usually include geometric distortions due changes in the attitude and altitude of the spacecraft. These distortions are not systematic and must be dealt with on a image by image basis.