# Image Interpretability of nSight-1 Nanosatellite Imagery for Remote Sensing Applications
## 5 Conclusions  
The upsurge in the number low cost nanosatellites with earth imaging capabilities offers new prospects for earth observation. Although most of the nanosatellites have been used as platforms for education, capability demonstration and testing scientific space-borne instruments, the potential for the usage of CubeSat data for practical remote sensing applications are increasingly being realized. In this study, we assessed the image quality of the satellite images captured by the nSight-1 CubeSat and examined the images to consider the potential remote sensing applications for the mission. Results of this study indicated that Landsat 8 OLI images produced significantly higher image quality scores and NIIRS results compared to nSight-1, revealing Landsat 8 has superior image quality and better image interpretation characteristics. Nonetheless, when considered independently, it can be concluded that nSight-1 images are of high quality as shown by an average NIIRS value of 1.6 and the spatial image quality scores that ranged in the good to excellent image quality categories. The quality of nSight-1 imagery in the spatial dimension is attributable to the inherent spatial, spectral, and radiometric resolution of the data.  
Our interpretation of the imagery indicates that the data has considerable potential for use in geo-visualization and cartographic land use and land cover mapping applications. The featuresdiscernible from nSight-1 imagery are consistent with those described at level 1 and 2 of the National Image Interpretability Rating Scales (NIIRS). We observed that inSight-1 imagery could be used for a range of earth observation application that include urban demarcation, forest patch delineation, mapping of structural geology features, agriculture field boundary extraction, water body mapping, and coastline mapping and assessment, land degradation and soil erosion assessments, drainage morphometric analysis of fluvial systems, wetlands monitoring, maritime ship surveillance, mapping of major roads, general land use, and land cover mapping. The nSight-1 images analyzed in the study depicted strong expressions of geological structures, geomorphological patterns, and surface topography. Imagery from the nSight-1 nanosatellite could also be used for filling data gaps in rapid response applications such as disaster management and other time-sensitive applications. To widen its applications, increase data usage, and improve temporal resolution, we recommend in the future that nSight-1 missions investigate developing a constellation of CubeSats with an increased number strategically placed spectral bands in the visible and near-infrared (VNIR) region. The inclusion of the near-infrared band could be prioritized. We also recommend future missions to focus on radiometric calibration to improve the radiometric quality of the data and potentially get the data to an analysis-ready state.  
Conceptualization, P.M.; Methodology, P.M.; Validation, P.M., W.M., and N.M.; Formal analysis, P.M., W.M., and N.M.; Investigation, P.M.m W.M.m and N.M.; Writing--original draft preparation, P.M., W.M., and N.M.; Writing--review and editing, P.M., W.M., and N.M.; Project administration, P.M. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.  
This research received no external funding.  
We are highly indebted to Space Commercial Services (SCS) for providing us with nSight-1 imagery used in this study. We particularly extend our appreciation to [PERSON] and [PERSON] for providing us with the background technical information regarding nSight-1 necessary for us to proceed with this study.  
The authors declare no conflict of interest.