Features of imaging the Earth surface and using the results of the imaging made by the ISS Russian segment crews

Features of the Earth surface imaging made by the International Space Station Russian Segment crews under the Uragan Program are analyzed. Problems and advantages of the Earth study from the manned orbital station the main of which is a capability of a quick intelligent response to the processes and phenomena suddenly occurring on the Earth surface are described. This capability is provided by the trained cosmonauts being onboard the Station, the availability of modern digital photographic, video and photospectral equipment and use of special mathematical support. Data on the developed software for planning observations with regard to geographical and meteorological conditions and processing the obtained images is given. The main trends in using the obtained space images for practical purposes are presented. The following is given: examples of the made unique images of volcano eruption, high water, flooding, algal bloom, forest fires, dust storms, glacier and iceberg motion dynamics as well as a system of concentric waves on the sea surface near the Darwin Island in the Pacific Ocean and unusual circular structures on the ice of the Baikal Lake. Based on the images obtained from the International Space Station the cause analysis of the catastrophic flooding occurred in Krymsk in 2012 is made.