Satellite revisit

The satellite revisit time is the time elapsed between observations of the same point on earth by a satellite.

It depends on the satellite's orbit, target location, and swath of the sensor.

"Revisit" is related to the same ground trace; a projection on to the earth of the satellite's orbit. Revisit requires a very close repeat of the Ground Trace. In the case of polar/hi inclination low earth orbiting reconnaissance satellites, the sensor payload must have the "variable swath" to look longitudinally (east-west, or sideways ) at a target, in addition to direct overflight observation, looking nadir.

In the case of the Israeli EROS spy satellite, the ground trace repeat is 15 days, but the actual revisit time is 3 days, because of the swath ability of the camera payload.

ee also

*Satellite Swath
*Ground Trace