Must Read: Galaxy Note 8.0 tablet: Beating the iPad mini (review)

Topic: Google

Google Earth to license new satellite imagery

Summary: Google has agreed to license imagery for their mapping products from a satellite due to launch on September 4th. This new satellite can take detailed imagery for an area the size of New Mexico in one day.

Garett Rogers

By Garett Rogers for Googling Google |

geoeye.jpgGoogle has agreed to license imagery for their mapping products from a satellite due to launch on September 4th. This new satellite can take detailed imagery for an area the size of New Mexico in one day. What does that mean? Well, you could get high resolution pan-sharpened imagery for the entire country in around 30 days. Impressive.

The level of detail will be approximately 50cm per pixel -- that's just under 20 inches. If you want to see what that looks like, take a look at this. Imagine having a Google Maps/Earth content that is this detailed, 100% complete and updated once a month -- that's powerful stuff.

"The GeoEye-1 satellite has the highest ground resolution color imagery available in the commercial marketplace and will produce high-quality imagery with a very accurate geolocation. It is our goal to display high-resolution imagery for as much of the world as possible, and GeoEye-1 will help further that goal." -- Kate Hurowitz (Google)

And for bragging rights, Google's even got their logo on the side of the rocket as pictured above.

Topics: Google, Networking

Kick off your day with ZDNet's daily email newsletter. It's the freshest tech news and opinion, served hot. Get it.

Talkback

17 comments
Log in or register to join the discussion

  • Best Commercial Cameras?

    Holy cow! If this is the best commercial imagery, what does the military have?
    arrowrod
    Reply Vote

    • Yes

      They can probably see the Holy Pats to.
      morrigen
      Reply Vote

  • RE: Google Earth to license new satellite imagery

    Pity the article did not state what previous resolution was and how long to to do world imagery,I no they up to now used a light aircraft with camera and map layered,so this will keep updating much quicker,and eventually save a lot of energy after the build and fuel for satellite is taken in to account.
    morrigen
    Reply Vote

    • Probably just as amazing, will be the computers it takes to store it and

      deliver it to millions all over the world. Also think history. You will be able to eventually be able to zoom in on an area, then go back and forth in history. We will even be able to see environmental destruction, and they will not be able to pretend it was always that way.
      DonnieBoy
      Reply Vote

  • Nice, but a bit overstated

    Resolution can be tricky to define. The "take a look at this" link is an aerial photo at 5 inches per RGB pixel. GeoEye color pixels will be about 5 feet (1.64 m according to their website).
    rairden
    Reply Vote

    • It's a combination

      As I understand it, it combines a low resolution color image with a high resolution greyscale image, so it will likely look like a sharp but poorly colorized image.
      CobraA1
      Reply Vote

  • Honey, I don't think you should sunbathe on the roof anymore.

    I just read about that an hour before I saw this post. I was wondering if Google would be using it soon. Now I know, thanks. I guess the people with sunlights better get some shades.
    kozmcrae
    Reply Vote

    • Let's not be too hasty...

      What does "Honey" look like?
      sullivanjc
      Reply Vote

      • Re: Let's Not Be Too Hasty...

        "What does "Honey" look like? "

        A 5'8",320 lb., 83 year old male who doesn't believe in tan lines. Still interested?

        I think Keyhole/Google Earth & Google Street View are some of the greatest things ever to hit the 'net. I can spend hours "sight seeing", if I don't catch myself (lol). Luckily, I work from home, so there's no boss to catch me. :D

        Looking forward to the newest views, thanks for the story.
        StPatrick56
        Reply Vote

  • RE: Google Earth to license new satellite imagery

    What's next? "US Defense Dept and CIA to license Google Earth's commercial mapping and satellite photography"
    michael@...
    Reply Vote

    • Satellite imagery

      Oh, I think the Defense Department already far surpasses what Google has. I remember years ago during the Hayman fire in Colorado runnung across a "reduced-resolution image" from an Air Force satellite that you could see a person walking on the trail. And that was on the computer I had at the time...
      AmraLeo
      Reply Vote

      • reduced to what?

        The good ones can not only read your license plates from 22,000 miles, but they probably can read the year sticker as well...no more nude sunbathing out back anymore either.
        jaybyrd
        Reply Vote

        • depends

          if it's a side shot from the satellite, they can read a plate. If almost directly overhead, they can't.
          Al_nyc
          Reply Vote

    • Why would do that?

      They get better pictures with their satellites.
      Al_nyc
      Reply Vote

  • lets go back to the first GE

    if you remember the first year it was up and running it gave a lot closer detaile in the free varson. I could see the windows on my house! In the latest I can almost tell that it is my house.
    when you use to go to a park you could make out the people now you can not tell them from the bushes and small trees
    O for the good old days of the net
    missplaced
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google Earth to license new satellite imagery

    new googal earth
    ujith sujeewa dias subaweera
    Reply Vote

  • RE: Google Earth to license new satellite imagery

    why do people think their opinions are so significant?vanity is obvious.I officially ,at 43 years of age,have become ill when or due to people smoking dope and then telling me/us the problems and solutions of the world!!
    gwrocz
    Reply Vote
CNET Join | Log In | Privacy | Cookies Close