Low-Complexity and High-Quality Image Compression Algorithm for Onboard Satellite

Compression reduces redundancy in data representation in order to achieve saving in the cost of storage and transmission. Image compression compensates for the limited on-board resources, in terms of mass memory and downlink bandwidth and thus it provides a solution to the "bandwidth vs. data volume" dilemma of modern spacecraft. Thus compression is very important feature in payload image processing units of many satellites. A low complexity and high efficiency near-lossless image compression algorithm is suggested in this paper. The algorithm provides the average compression ratio of 1.403 with high image quality for lossless compression. Compression ratio increases as ∆ parameter increases. Using proposed algorithm compression ratio of 4.208 is achieved for near-lossless compression. The proposed algorithm has low memory cost suitable for hardware implementation.