Save the date (and time) DigitalGlobe WorldView I satellite launch - watch it from your PC

Do you like the imagery in Google Earth right now... wait till next year once WorldView I is operational and the data is being streamed to users. Heads-up, the DigitalGlobe WorldView I satellite launch is coming up this Tuesday... recall WorldView will provide high-res imagery as fine as .5 m resolution... actually much finer resolution data will be available to government clients who funded the project, the .5 m resolution imagery will likely be available for sale as a commercial product. About the launch... The WorldView-1 satellite is scheduled to launch on Tuesday, September 18, 2007, from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. WorldView-1 is the first of two new next-generation satellites planned by DigitalGlobe. WorldView II will launch some time next year. To view the launch see the following link on Tuesday http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/space/bls/missions/worldview-1/

Some specs and details about the DigitalGlobe Satellites:
- in 2007 the company is collecting 600,000 km/2 per day
- in 2007 once WV 2 is up more than 1,000,000 km/2 per day will be collected

WorldView 1 Specs:
- operating altitude - 496 km
- weight - 2500 kg
- spectral - panchromatic
- pn res. .5 m (50 cm)
- swath 17.5 km
- avg revisit at 40 deg. north lat - 1.7 days
- onboard storage 2199 Gbits

See also DigitalGlobe for more info

Image Source: DigitalGlobe