Ground sample distance (GSD)
Ground sample distance (GSD) is the real-world distance on the ground covered by one pixel of a satellite or aerial image — the core measure of spatial resolution.
A GSD of 30 cm means each pixel covers a 30-by-30 cm patch of ground, so a smaller GSD means sharper, more detailed imagery.
It depends on the sensor, the focal length and the satellite's altitude, and it worsens toward the edges of a wide image.
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Related terms
- LEO — Low Earth orbit (LEO) is the region of space from about 160 to 2,000 km above Earth's surface, where satellites circle the planet in roughly 90 minutes.
- Sun-synchronous orbit — A sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) is a near-polar low Earth orbit tuned so the satellite passes over every location at the same local solar time on each visit.
