Higher-Res Eye In The Sky (broadcast Friday, August 29th, 2008)

The GeoEye-1 satellite, seen during testing in May 2008. photo courtesy GeoEye.

If all goes according to plan, next week a rocket will launch carrying a commercial imaging satellite capable of making out details on Earth just 16 inches across. The satellite, known as GeoEye-1, will be the highest resolution satellite run by a private company. The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency has first dibs on imaging time on GeoEye-1 for the first 18 months after its launch. However, GeoEye plans to market images from the satellite to a range of governments and private customers for applications such as high-resolution mapping. We'll talk with one of the people behind the GeoEye-1 launch about the satellite and its capabilities. Teachers, find more information about using Science Friday as a classroom resource in the Kids' Connection.