Message posted by Magoo on November 21, 2001 at 0:48:54 PST:

From FLIGHT INTERNATIONAL, 30 October - 5 November, Page 38.

'Pentagon ties up Ikonos images deal!'

"The pentagon has signed an exclusive deal with Lockheed Martin subsidiary Space Imaging for all satellite imagery of Afghanistan taken by the Ikonos commercial remote sensing satellite..."

"The images, which can cost up to $3,000 a time, are providing damage assessment data with a resolution of about 1m (3ft), while classified NRO spy satellites have resolutions approaching 100mm (4 inches)!"

"The French Government, meanwhile, has forbidden Spot Image to sell any commercial imagery of Afghanistan, becoming the only customer for the 10m (32ft) resolution images."

"Russia's only operating photo recon satellite, Cosmos 2377 which was launched in May, returned its main descent module to Earth on October 10 after a flight of only 133 days... Russia now has no imaging satellites in orbit according to the UK's Moiniya space consultancy."

Interesting times in the satellite imaging industry...

Magoo

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