Google Earth is an amazing resourcefulness , but if there ’s one critique that can be take down at it , it ’s that it ’s permanently out of appointment due to the lag between when the data is gain and when it appears on-line . But right now , a pair of Californian startups are put swarm of lilliputian planet into space , creating existent - time satellite imagery that will solve that problem .
The two companies both partake the same imaginativeness : shove enough little satellites into orbit , and sheer military force of numbers will make it possible to shoot the same plot of ground of the planet several times a Clarence Shepard Day Jr. . It ’s not just a concept , either : Planet Labs , based in San Francisco , launched 28 of its satellite into place yesterday .
sleep with as “ Doves , ” these adorable little guys are about the size of a toaster , count around 11 pounds , and gain images at a resolution of nine to 15 feet . Meanwhile , over in Palo Alto , Skybox Imagingis building 24 larger satellites , each weigh in at about 100 kilograms and capable of get images at three foot resolution , which it plans to plunge in November of this year the first of which it set in motion on November 21 2013 and is now trance both imagery and HD television .
Once the satellites are up in the air and it ’s prove they ’re working properly , both Planet Labs and Skybox Imaging will initially push their data to commercial party . Their images might be used to monitor dealings systems , survey industrial plants , or observe changes in educate land .
But , as Nature points out , the projects take for more hope than simply making monied companies more immediate payment . suppose how useful these kinds of image could be during and after instinctive disasters or humanitarian crises : rapid observation of floods or earthquake zones could have a massive encroachment on the style we deal with those exigency , and save 100 of life along the way .
No marvel , then , that the United Nations ’ Operational Satellite Applications Program is sniffing around the egress sector . skill could do good , too , with the increased secular answer of satellite imagery cater more efficient ways to map change habitats , movement of wildlife , volcanic eruptions , and anything else that moves on the graduated table of hour rather than day .
There are , of course , restriction . These petty satellites cranial orbit low , moving at grand of miles an time of day , which signify they ’re useless if you need to observe a single patch of country for more than a 2nd or two . There ’s a question mark , too , over how consistent the imagery will be , which will remain unanswered until the swarm are truly established . And compared to using drones for genuine - time aerial imaging — which is , admittedly , set to little areas — it ’s an expensive option .
But given the benefits they could provide , it seems likely that , these horde of satellites could cater the up - to - date data that ’s been miss up ’ til now . [ Nature ]
persona by Skybox Imaging and Planet Labs
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