View a slide show of images taken by GeoEye satellites." data-pin-do="buttonBookmark">
OBAMA'S NEW ADDRESS: From its orbit 423 miles (681 kilometers) above Earth, the GeoEye 1 looks down on 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. The satellite, launched September 6, can capture natural and man-made features to within nine feet (three meters) of their actual location on Earth's surface. View a slide show of images taken by GeoEye satellites.
Image: Satellite image courtesy of GeoEye
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Washington, D.C., home of the CIA, National Security Administration (NSA) and FBI, is a well-known haven for spies and surveillance. But new satellite pictures of the White House, Washington Monument and Jefferson Memorial show these government agencies aren't the only ones watching and being watched.
These latest images from Dulles, Va., satellite-imaging company, GeoEye, are among the first to be collected by the GeoEye 1, a satellite launched into polar orbit on September 6 that can "see" objects on Earth as small as 16 inches (0.41 meter) in size in black-and-white mode or 64.6 inches (1.64 meters) in color. Images from the GeoEye 1, which stands 20 feet (6.1 meters) high and weighs more than 4,300 pounds (1,950 kilograms), so impressed Google that the Internet search giant plans to add the satellite's high-resolution, digital color photos to Google Earth next month.
View a slide show of images taken by GeoEye satellites
GeoEye 1 blasted to its current altitude of 423 miles (681 kilometers) on board a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta 2 rocket launched from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base. The satellite, built by Gilbert, Ariz.–based General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems orbits Earth 15 times a day, cruising at about a 16,800-mile- (27,037-kilometer-) per-hour clip.
Pretty pix, perhaps. But critics say there's also a dark side to the satellite's-eye view shots. The terrorists who attacked hotels, cafes and religious centers in Mumbai, India, killing nearly 200 and injuring scores of others late last month, reportedly used global positioning systems (GPS), Blackberries, mobile phones with multiple SIM cards (reducing the likelihood of their calls being traced), and CDs containing high-resolution satellite imagery from Google Earth to coordinate their strikes, the Asia Times reported last week. One option being considered by India's courts is to have Google blur images of sensitive areas in the country until the case is decided, London's Times Online reported earlier this week.
The U.S. Department of Defense is also leery of aerial intrusions and in March ordered its bases and other military installations to ban Google from taking photos of them for its Street View application. Google added the feature to Google Earth in April.
On the flip side, the Indian government is considering offering satellite imagery navigation services that rival Google Earth. The country's Indian Space Research Organization is planning to launch Bhuvan (Sanskrit for "Earth"), which would use a network of satellites to create high-res images of India accessible via the Web for free, according to London's Times Online.
GeoEye points out on its Web site that its technology is exclusively a tool for mapping and that "imagery from high-resolution systems such as the GeoEye 1 satellite is considered to be outside the threshold of personal privacy." At its current resolution, it is impossible to recognize individuals on images, the company says
View a slide show of images taken by GeoEye satellites
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12 Comments
Add CommentWhat would prevent a terroist organization from using that satellite for illicit purposes?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat would prevent a terrorist organization from using - oh say, a pencil - for illicit purposes.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSee what I did there?
I would imagine that such images would encourage people to build more securely. When you get right down to it. If everyone has the same information, then there lack of a secrete is the lack of a weakness... because we all have access to the same info. Any weaknesses discovered from looking at such photos would be weaknesses everyone, including security, would know. That being said, the government does ban photos from being taken of several locations, usually military bases. If photos are taken, they are low resolution or a censored afterward.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI could see better images on Google Earth for many years already.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThis is a reply to "Iahamad": why racist and fascist? As to my knowledge no party existing in the West and commonly referred to as racist or fascist has ever supported occupation of any Arab territory, no such party supports the idea of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, nor is it in favour of invasion of Iran...
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWho does that evil then if not those proclaiming themselves to be antiracist and antifascist?
Cheers!!! Greeting from Australia!
Michael
Montsegur;
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou forget about the good ol' USA! Many have called the Bush Regime fascist and, though I live in the US, I find I must agree with them. I hope Obama will set things right but under Bush and the neo-conservatives we have been living under a fascist regime for the past eight years.
You see, Mithremakor, calling the Bush-gang "fascist" is perhaps an insult - to todayąs fascists, of whom probably none approved of the warmongering and crimes committed. As for Obama - I am leaving it to the Americans to comment more than I do. But I o not expect too much good from Obama either. He is surrounding himself with "hawks" of whom all have approved the current war-"adventures". You saw zourself that Obama and McCain had their campaigns finance virtually by the same people, by the same bankster-gangs.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNo, I do not forget the good sides of the US - had I been an American citizen, I would support Ron Paul...
Cheers!!!
This is nothing but the hysterical nonsense that pervades the naive thinking of most people. I can walk into any bookstore and get all kinds of books and maps showing as much detail on any area that I want. Picture books abound with detailed aerial photos of most any city. What will be called for next? Burning the books that I just mentioned? Will the banning of tourists photos be next? I believe that these items play a very minor role in the plans of anyone looking to cause chaos and destruction. It would be wiser to fear any governments hysteria after any attacks.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSince terrorism is the last resort of the weak and incompetent I find that I don't much care about the satellite photos.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisAs for the discussion in these posts:
Iahmad, if we were racist zionists you would be dead now. We are greedy bastards. There is a major difference. We don't hate you or view you as inferior. You just don't matter. Your resources are what we want. Hand them over and no one gets hurt.
As a fascist, I must say that President Bush is indeed a fascist. The fascist parties proved themselves weak so we just co-opted the Republicans. Ron Paul would indeed have been a real republican candidate. That is why he lost. We understand fear. Republicans don't. Ron Paul had a message of hope and self reliance. We just pointed fingers and scape goated. It worked for Hitler and it worked for us with Bush.
Our occupation of Iraq is a stragtegic move which was to stabilize the area and make sure it stays open and safe for the transport of oil. I fear we will be there a very long time. Unless they run out of oil and you will see our military out like a shot!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThere is absolutely nothing any government can achieve by limiting information. Oh they'll try and try but since all governments eventually trip over their neckties it remains up to an informed populace to preserve the peace and security of their respective nations. All enlightened cultures respect education and the freedom of information that goes with it. All governments are fascist to one degree or another, but all governments are there for those who want them or those who need them. For the rest of us they are just a necessary evil. Phooey, sez I.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisI TOLD them not to show those naked pixs!!!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this