New Satellite Images?

[jegorah]

Hi, I just saw some aerial photos on google maps, and it looks like they have all new 2006 satellite imagery.  I just downloaded the latest topofusion, and it still has the old images from a few years ago.

Any plans to get the new ones incorporated for download?

Thanks!

[Krein]

TopoFusion uses NASA's OnEarth server for satellite images, collected from 1999-2003.

We use a completely different set of images and server than google maps.

Do you know if there are any plans for NASA to update the images?

And do you know how google is able to obtain new images, but NASA doesn't?  Do they have their own satellites or something?

Thanks!

[Krein]

The NASA data is public domain -- tax supported.  Google is paying for their images (you see copyright info plastered on the screen from Navtech and other sources).  So Google doesn't "have" a satellite, but they are licensing newer images.

I have not heard of any plans for NASA to update their imagery, sorry.

[m38a1guy]

Google ticks me off, they dont even offer their maps for offline use, wonderful aerial photos of the forest and I mean detailed color, but what good does it do when you have ot be on the internet. They remind me too much of microsoft and their corporate milking! Shame really as their maps would have been really great as the details they show over all IDAHO is VERY well photod. Just check out clearwater forest area you wont believe the clarity the water you can see through! lol

[Krein]

Yes, I agree, it can be frustrating to use Google Earth sometimes. They have awesome imagery, but you can't guarnatee it'll be there for offline use, and it's also not public domain.

A newspaper out of Colorado Springs is using TopoFusion because the maps it creates are in no way copyrighted, for example.