GeoEye-1 successfully deployed

Delta II launch pad at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. The latest earth observation satellite GeoEye-1, operated by the US company of the same name – GeoEye, was successfully launched into space on a Delta II launch vehicle on Saturday evening and positioned in the planned orbit. According to weapons and satellite specialist General Dynamics, which built it, the satellite is carrying the highest resolution camera systems ever seen on a non-military satellite.

From an altitude of 681 kilometres GeoEye will be able to deliver black and white images with a resolution of 41 centimetres, or colour images on which objects of 1.65 metres or larger should be recognisable. The satellite orbits the earth fifteen times a day. GeoEye's customers include the US Department of Agriculture, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and Google.

It is doubtful, however, that Google Earth or Google Maps users will be able to enjoy the high-resolution black and white images, as under US regulations only earth observation images with a resolution of half a metre or less can be published. GeoEye already has satellites in orbit – OrbView-2, OrbView-3 and Ikonos – which deliver images with a resolution of less than a metre.

(trk)