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U.S. approves high-resolution spying by commercial satellites

SPECIAL TO WORLD TRIBUNE.COM
Wednesday, January 24, 2001

WASHINGTON — The United States has awarded a license to produce the first commercial images with a resolution of a half-meter.

The license was granted as part of a contract awarded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to operate a commercial remote sensing spacecraft capable of providing half-meter resolution imagery of the Earth. The license was granted to Space Imaging in what sets a precedent in the U.S. satellite industry.

The license is the result of a successful lobbying effort by the space industry, which overcame administration objections to providing such high-resolution reconnaissance images. Israel had urged that U.S. companies be banned from distributing images of the Jewish state out of concern that they would end up in the hands of its enemies, Middle East Newsline reported.

"We are pleased with the outcome of the license process," John Copple, chief executive officer of Space Imaging. "There are many people who have contributed to advancing this remote sensing policy. Now we will be able to keep pace with the rapid changes in technology for our next generation systems."

The company plans to launch its new satellite in 2004.

Space Imaging's satellite imaging system will provide half-meter resolution black-and-white and two-meter resolution color imagery. This will include images of such objects as trees and farm animals.

Executives said the resolution is not accurate enough to identify people.

In 1992 the Congress passed a bill that enables U.S. companies to build and launch commercial imaging satellites to compete with similar foreign ventures. In 1994 the president signed a directive that further defined the government's remote sensing policies and approved one-meter resolution satellite imagery.

In 1999, Lockheed Martin launched the Ikonos satellite, which produces images of one-meter resolution.

Wednesday, January 24, 2001



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