This beautiful satellite image shows one of the most saddening long-term natural disasters on Earth. The black patch in the upper left corner is the remaining body of the Aral Sea, located on the border between Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan in Central Asia—which has lost around 90 percent of its water volume since 1960 because of Soviet-era irrigation schemes. Read more…
See the original post:
The Dying Aral Sea Is Like an Abstract Depiction of Human Stupidity
Remember how we told you that the resolution of Google Maps’ satellite images would soon be doubled ? Well, today we’re seeing the first of those images pop up, and they are indeed a noticeable improvement. New York and San Francisco are the first to get the high-res 3D treatment, but we should see this update rolling out for more cities around the world in 2015. Read more…
Visit link:
Google Earth’s New Satellite Imagery Is So Much Better
At the start of this week, the European Space Agency’s Gravity Field and Steady-State Ocean Circulation Explorer satellite (GOCE) fell to Earth . This is what it looked like as it happened. Read more…
More here:
This Is What a 2,000-Pound Satellite Falling to Earth Looks Like
It’s not easy being a satellite; permanent imaging gear becomes outdated mere months after launch, and Mother Nature is constantly caught photobombing close-ups, throwing naughty clouds between a lens and the shot. All that makes for some pretty inconsistent online viewing. Fortunately, Google’s stepped in to set things straight, combining the magic of photo stitching with the capture power of a brand-spanking-new Landsat 8 . The result is a cloud-free planet, enabling millions of web-equipped “explorers” to realize improved aerial views as seen from 438 miles above sea level. It’s pretty spectacular, and it’s about friggin’ time. Filed under: GPS , Internet , Google Comments Source: Google Maps
See the article here:
Google refreshes Maps and Earth with 800,000 megapixels of new satellite imagery
ViaSat-1 recently earned a Guinness World Record as the highest-capacity satellite in (or out of) the world, but it may need to hand off that title come 2016. ViaSat-2, the company’s next-gen bird, will double the capacity of its predecessor while also extending coverage to a larger portion of North America, Central America and the Caribbean, along with the aviation and shipping routes between the East Coast and Europe. Boeing will manufacture the new equipment, which will be based on the 702HP satellite platform. Once in orbit, ViaSat-2 will serve residential customers , air travelers and government agencies alike, with a massive seven-fold increase in coverage. There aren’t many details beyond that, but you’re welcome to dig through the press release, posted right after the break. Filed under: Wireless , Science , Internet Comments
See the original post:
Boeing tapped to build ViaSat-2 satellite, launch set for mid-2016
We doubt we’ll see any reduction in ticket prices, but the process of bringing new movies to theaters could get easier very soon as five major studios have signed on with the Digital Cinema Distribution Coalition (DCDC) to use its satellite distribution network. Lionsgate, Universal, Disney, Warner and Paramount are all on board with the scheme, which says it will provide participants access to “a host of delivery options” as digital projection becomes increasingly common . The Hollywood Reporter quotes spokesman Randolph Blotky saying the network is expected to reach 300 locations when it launches this summer, all of which will be equipped with an appliance from video distributor KenCast. The satellite end of things is being handled by EchoStar/Deluxe, and once it’s rolled out should make things much easier than the current system of shipping hard drives back and forth. Of course, what we’re not hearing so far is if/how this upgrade will reach smaller, older theaters that are facing pricey upgrades from film-based equipment, but with theater chains like AMC, Regal and Cinemark forming the DCDC along with Universal and Warner, those considerations are probably a little further down the list. Filed under: Home Entertainment , HD Comments Source: The Hollywood Reporter
View article:
Movie studios sign on for satellite-based digital delivery to theaters