Who was Virginia Norwood?

April 17, 2023

Virginia Norwood was an American inventor and scientist whose contribution to the development of the scanner has revolutionized the field of remote sensing. Her invention enabled scientists to record images of the earth from space and paved the way for the Landsat program.

The Life of Virginia Norwood

Virginia Norwood was born in 1923 and grew up in Los Angeles, California. She obtained her Bachelor of Science in Physics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1946. Norwood’s interest in electronics and computing led her to pursue a career in developing electronic equipment for Hughes Aircraft Co.

The Invention of the Scanner

Norwood’s most significant contribution to the field of remote sensing was the development of the scanner that made Landsat programme possible. Her invention was initially designed to record seven bands of energy, but she later scaled it back to four bands. The scanner recorded images of the earth by measuring the amount of energy reflected from the planet’s surface. This data was then transmitted to Earth and interpreted by scientists.

Impact of Norwood’s Invention

The Landsat program, which was launched in 1972, uses a series of satellites to map changes in the earth’s surface brought on by climate change and human actions. The Landsat satellites orbit the earth every 99 minutes and have recorded millions of images of the planet.

Norwood’s invention was crucial to the Landsat program’s success. Her scanner recorded multiple spectra of light and energy, which could be modified for the planetary project. The images recorded by the scanner enabled scientists to monitor changes in the earth’s surface over time. Her invention revolutionized the field of remote sensing and her work has had a lasting impact on the scientific community.

Norwood’s love for nature was evident in her work, and she hung an image of Yosemite National Park’s Half Dome on the wall of her house for the rest of her life. Her legacy continues through the Landsat program, which has launched nine satellites to date, with the latest being Landsat 9.

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