GeoEye-1 Releases Samples of Satellites Photo to Public

GeoEye has announced that henceforth its highest-resolution satellite photos will be made available to the public. In addition the company also promises to produce market and sell Earth imagery and related products and services.

GeoEye-1 was launched from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California on September 6, by early October it has provided its first images and is expected to be fully operational this fall.

GeoEye-1 collects imagery that can distinguish objects on the Earth's surface as small as 0.41-meter or about 16 inches in size in its black and white mode and 1.65-meter resolution color (or multispectral) imagery. Through a proprietary production capability, commercial customers will have access to color imagery at the .5 meter resolution, which no other commercial imaging company will be able to match.

There is indication that Google is lobbying for exclusive commercial relationship with GeoEye (the rocket that launched GeoEye-1 sported a Google logo) to use the images in its products. GeoEye will also be providing imaging services to the US Government.

GeoEye is the premier provider of geospatial information for the national security community, strategic partners, resellers and commercial customers to help them better map, measure and monitor the world. The Company is recognized as the industry's trusted imagery expert for delivering reliable service and the exceptional quality of its imagery products and solutions.