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First 'Google satellite' launched
Author: Gareth HalfacreePublished: 8th September 2008
The GeoEye-1 satellite will give Google exclusive access to high-resolution geospatial imagery.
The satellite, referred to by CNet as part of the US National Geospatial Intelligence Agency's NextView programme, allows both colour and monochrome photography of as high as 82 cm resolution – far in excess of the detail previously available.
Although primarily for military use, the GeoEye-1 will also prove handy for Google: the search company has landed the exclusive rights to use imagery provided by the satellite for its Maps and Earth packages. While the really impressive stuff – i.e. the photography high-resolution enough to read a paper's headlines when left on a doorstep – will be kept back for military use only, the enhanced quality footage will give Google's mapping services a distinct edge over its competitors.
The Saturday launch – attended by Larry Page and Sergey Brin – took place from the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where the satellite ascended on-board a Delta II rocket module. Thankfully, the rather risky sequence went off without a hitch with seperation from the second stage confirmed that afternoon and all on-board systems passing initial checks.
GeoEye-1 will be snapping surfaces near your from 423 miles above starting in the next few days, with a sister satellite – called, surprisingly enough, GeoEye-2 – due in 2011. In the meantime, expect to see the quality of imagery available on Google Earth dramatically improve.
Do you applaud Google for getting the exclusive rights to GeoEye-1's imagery, or does the thought of everyone's favourite NSA black-op being able to see what you're wearing sound a trifle worrying? Share your thoughts over in the forums.
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Cue conspiracy nutters, stage left!
I would have liked to have had the superdy-duper high-res images on GM, that'd be rather amusing for me. Any hint as to where these higher res things are going to start?
Soon we will be able to count the grains of sand on the beaches.
I don't see why I should be happy about this.
ROFL, awesome!
If I had a flat roof or a bigger garden I would be leaving out a message. Anyone with the space to do this, please leave a message of some sort, don't make it dirty as I imagine it will get censored.
Google world domination stage 1 pre-alpha complete.
There was an article in the Discover magazine earlier this year about Google or Geo-Eye imaging the Trident sub base at Bangor and getting pictures of a SSBN propeller (which is highly classified). Appearently no one thought to cover it up, and so now everyone knows what they look like. Welcome to the new world, it's going to be a lot harder to keep secrets now and I think this is a good thing.