GeoEye is a commercial satellite imagery company that provides exclusive on-line mapping use to Google, which has its logo on the side of one of GeoEye's rockets.
How it works is that the Ikonos satellite orbits the earth every 98 minutes. When you book a location, GeoEye gives you a time when it is over that spot, and it will snap a picture. So everything there at that exact second will show up.
Spy satellites can deliver imagery of objects about a foot across. GeoEye is capable of imagery with details the size of 16" (41 cm), however that level of resolution is only be available to the government. Google has access to details of 20" (50 cm) and maximum commercial imagery was 24" (60 cm). Any installation that is on the ground will have a nice top down view of it.
One thing that's really important (so pay attention hippies): you can't slow down or speed up a satellite. You MUST be ready at the exact scheduled time because that is when the picture is taken.
So again, save the date: September 2, 2010 at precisely 11:41 a.m.
Any artist that wants to do a project that is captured from space (as in not from the airplanes) must have their installation prepared and ready for the satellite capture at precisely that time.
Johnson says: "That is NOT!!! playa time ... as in, not at 12:00, not 12:15, not "oh shit where is my watch?". I will get the imagery roughly 24 hours later and it will be posted soon thereafter."
6 comments:
Here's a map of it's ground track
http://www.heavens-above.com/gtrack.asp?lat=40.74999&lng=-119.24483&alt=23&loc=bm&TZ=PST&Date=40423.7787929357&satid=25919
nice aerial view. this satellite also may used for climate change
When does the pic go up????
Where is the photo that was to be taken September 2nd at 11:41AM?
Many of us knew the time the picture would be taken and have made various human art pieces around the Playa and streets. The google earth photo was taken Wednesday. I would like to see my multi human creation in high res.
I'm trying to get an answer from the guy who booked the photo with geoeye, Jeffrey Johnson. Our the e camp had an 80' by 100' white banner out there in front of 7 o'clock on the esplanade. If the picture was taken, we'd be on it. We were on the playa from 11:20 until noon.
What the hell happened?
Jim
the TtriBe
I've also contacted Jeff but have not yet heard back. I suggest patience. We have no idea what his decompression maybe like or what his workload has been since he returned from Burning Man. I'm sure the images will be awesome. That or a huge prank! :)
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