This text is a vital accessory to both students and professionals working on data compression, embedded processing and infrared astronomy. It tackles embedded data compression on-board space observatories for infrared astronomy. In the early chapter, infrared astronomy aspects are presented, including the infrared detector technologies, infrared signal characteristics and astronomical images in the infrared range. Afterwards, state-of-the-art compression is summarized as well as standardized methods for astronomical image compression are given. Designed for infrared space astronomy, the...