Image provider for Google earth
Ever wondered where does Google earth get all the images it provides its users? Here’s the answer. Google has various sources that keep it updated with aerial imagery, satellite imagery and all the other resources. Here’s a list of the Image providers for Google Earth.
Digital Globe: Digital Globe is a privately held commercial vendor of space imagery and geospatial content located in Longmont, Colorado, USA. It is also the operator of civilian remote sensing spacecraft. Currently the company is planning to go public on the New York Stock Exchange on 14th of May 2009, selling each share at $16-$18 so that it can raise between $235 million - $265 million in capital.
EarthSat: earthsat initially pioneered the use of remote sensing for petroleum, mineral and groundwater exploration. Later it expanded in to satellite and aerial image processing. All of the earthsat’s products were derived from NASA’s Landsat program, Canada’s RADARSAT-1 and an entire list of earth observation satellites.
GeoEye: GeoEye is a commercial satellite imagery company based in Dulles, Virginia. It was previously known as ORBIMAGE. And is the world’s largest space imaging corporation.
GlobeXplorer: it is an online spatial data company. It compiles and distributes aerial photos, satellite imagery, and map data from their online spatial archives. This company is based in Wanut Creek, CA. it has been credited as the first company to have established a business around compiling and distributing online aerial and satellite imagery.
IKONOS: IKONOS is a commercial earth observation satellite. It was the first satellite to coleect publically available high resolution imagery at 1- and 4- meter resolution. It provides Google earth with multispectral and panchromatic imagery.
Pictometry: this company is based in Rochester, New York. It provides detailed aerial photography to Google earth. The images are taken at an angle of 40 degree fromlow flying airplanes. Pictometry uses Electronic Field Study software that allows a variety of measurements to be taken directly from the image, including height, distance and area as well as elevation and bearing.
Spot Image: is a public limited company created in 1982 by the French Space Agency, IGN and Space Manufacturers. The company is the commercial operator for the SPOT earth observation. It is a worldwide distributor of products and services that use imagery from Earth Observation Satellites and works through a network of subsidiaries.
TerraLook: it is a free satellite image-viewing tool. It provides the users with the access to the satellite images using remote sensing technology.
View GL: it is a downloadable program developed by Aerial Express. It provides updated aerial photography content through Google Earth. ViewGL specializes in supplying most current aerial imagery of US metropolitan areas possible, resulting in higher accuracy.
CNES: stands for Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales. It is a French government space agency. Their head quarter is located in central Paris and it works under the supervision of the French Ministry of Defense and Research. Formerly CNES was responsible for the training of French Astronauts, but since 2001, the astronaut’s are being trained at European Space Agency.
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