**Implications of Satellite Technology Advancements** Over the years, resolutions improved dramatically, and now Google can offer zoom levels that reveal details down to about 30 centimeters per pixel in some areas. Early satellite imagery on Google Maps often had a resolution of about 15 meters per pixel, meaning that each pixel represented an area approximately 15 meters on each side on the ground. One of the major developments since Google Maps’ inception is the increase in resolution and the frequency of updates to its satellite images. **The Evolution of Resolution and Freshness** This imagery allowed people to explore the globe digitally in ways that were previously not possible. The company began stitching together photographs from various sources, including satellite images and aerial photography commissioned or purchased by Google itself, to create the seamless “satellite view” layer known today in Google Maps and Google Earth. It featured satellite images and aerial photography from the databases of various partners and providers, which were not as comprehensive and high-resolution as what we see today, but were groundbreaking at the time.Īfter Google’s acquisition of Keyhole, Inc., the development of Google Maps satellite imagery escalated quickly. Keyhole, Inc.’s “Earth Viewer,” the predecessor to Google Earth, was launched in 2001. For global satellite imagery, platforms like NASA’s World Wind (launched in 2003) were pivotal in providing a fresh perspective on our planet from space. This service allowed users to view aerial photographs and topographic maps of the United States. ![]() **The Emergence of Earth-viewing Technology**īefore Google’s foray into mapping, other services offered satellite imagery and maps-most notably TerraServer-USA, which came online in 1998 and was a joint venture between Microsoft and the U.S. With this understanding, exploring the concept of “Google Maps Satellite 2000” requires a blend of historical context and technological evolution that leads to the richly detailed service we recognize today. The first renditions of what would become Google Earth did not appear until 2001, provided by a company named Keyhole, Inc., which Google acquired in 2004. However, contrary to what one might think, Google Maps satellite imagery did not exist in the year 2000-Google Maps itself wasn’t launched until February 8, 2005. Google has even highlighted a few spots where viewers can watch a glacier melt away into nothingness or check out pretty much anywhere in China, which looks like a game of SimCity.In the year 2000, the digital world was on the precipice of a significant transformation with the emergence of advanced satellite technology that eventually served as the backbone for platforms like Google Maps. ![]() ![]() The images are up on Google Earth Engine, where the interactive "Timelapse" page basically looks like Google Earth, but with a draggable timeline and a "play" button. Thanks to the plethora of data and Google's cloud-computing algorithms, you get all of this without any clouds blocking the view. ![]() Google says it sifted through 5 million satellite images from five different satellites, taking the best of the "three quadrillion pixels" to create 33 images of Earth (one for each year). The new data isn't just "new" data-Google also managed to compile better older images of Earth thanks to the Landsat Global Archive Consolidation Program. Today, Google updated the project with "four additional years of imagery, petabytes of new data, and a sharper view of the Earth from 1984 to 2016." In 2013, Google worked with the US Geological Survey (USGS), NASA, and TIME to compile a history of satellite imagery from 1984 to 2012. Google Earth Timelapse is a really awesome project that lets you turn back the clock on Planet Earth. A Google Earth Timelapse of a community in Canada.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |