The Pentagon has spent millions of dollars to prevent western media from seeing highly accurate civilian satellite pictures of the effects of bombing in Afghanistan, it was revealed yesterday.
The images, which are taken from Ikonos, an advanced civilian satellite launched in 1999, are better than the spy satellite pics available to the military during most of the cold war. The extraordinary detail of the images already taken by the satellite includes a line of terrorist trainees marching between training camps at Jalalabad. At the same resolution, it would be possible to see bodies lying on the ground after last week's bombing attacks. The US military does not need the pictures for its own purposes because it already has six imaging satellites in orbit, augmented by a seventh launched last weekend. Four of the satellites, called Keyholes, take photographic images estimated to be six to 10 times better than the 1 metre resolution available from Ikonos. The decision to use commercial rather than legal powers to bar access to satellite images was heavily criticised by US intelligence specialists on Tuesday night. Since images of the bombed Afghan bases would not have shown the position of US forces or compromised US military security, the ban could have been challenged by news media as being a breach of the First Amendment, which guarantees press freedom.
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http://www.hindustantimes.com/nonfram/181001/detFOR06.asp
Top Stories
MapServer Pro from Maptech
Maptech has released MapServer Professional for organizations and offices that require network access tolarge numbers of USGS topographic maps in an easy to install plug and play server. One of the key benefits to organizations is the quick installation of the network attached storage (NAS) server. Whether it's just map printing, adding topographic maps to reports and presentations or for CAD and GIS projects - all the maps are instantly available to the entire staff. MapServer Pro comes with award-winning software that lets you view the maps in accurate, vivid 3-D. Quickly "goto" hundreds of thousands of geographic places. View the maps in seamless mode or with borders and legends. Make your own notes and bookmarks. Print customized maps - small, large or extra-large. Easily add maps to reports and presentations. For CAD and GIS users MapServer Pro will automatically stitch together adjacent maps to cover projects of any size or shape. Select any datum or projection criteria. Works with ArcInfo, ArcView, AutoCAD, MapInfo, MicroStation or GeoMedia. MapServer Pro comes with free map updates for three years. Updates consist of newly revised and published USGS topographic maps that typically include new roads, trails, land developments and boundaries. The USGS does not update DRGs regularly and does not offer an update subscription.
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www.maptech.com
i-cubed: information integration and imaging LLC
i-cubed has announced new pricing for its Instant Imagery product series featuring ImageMap USA, the seamless Landsat 7 mosaic of the conterminous United States. The Instant Imagery series also includes eDEM USA (enhanced digital elevation models) and eTOPO USA (enhanced digital raster graphics). The flagship product within the Instant Imagery series is ImageMap USA, a seamless, orthorectified Landsat 7 mosaic at 15-meter resolution. Constructed from over 450 Landsat 7 scenes collected between 1999 and 2001, ImageMap USA allows users to select a custom area of interest without having to worry about edge matching or color balancing problems. Visitors to i-cubed's website are able to download sample imagery from ImageMap USA's database to test it out in their own application. In addition to constantly updating the content of ImageMap USA with new imagery, what sets i-cubed apart from its competitors is availability of the mosaic in a hill-shaded version. This option uses eDEM USA to bring out terrain features that are not evident in the original imagery.
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www.i3.com
Milan Exhibition Charts Course Of Map-Making Through The Ages
Humanity's desire to discover and chart the world is the theme of an exhibition of the history of mapmaking that opened in Milan in late September. The display depicts the history of the science from Babylonian tablets in the 6th century BC until the Space Shuttle. Before London's Greenwich Meridian became the standard zero longitude the centre of the world depended on the geo-cultural perspective of the mapmaker. Early Korean maps depict that country as the centre of the world with China an 'In-between Kingdom' and the rest of the world fringe territories. During the Crusades, maps in Christendom showed Jerusalem as the epicentre while during the Roman empire all roads led to Rome. European maps in the Middle Ages reflected the three cornerstones of western civilisation -- Greek science, Roman administration and the Christian faith. The Chinese contribution and the advanced science of Islamic civilisation in the Middle Ages took the subject forward, chart-making instruments from the Museum of Tehran being one of the exhibition highlights. The exhibition -- 'Signs and Dreams of the World' -- opened at Milan's Palazzo Reale on September 27 and runs until January 6, 2002.
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http://www.spacedaily.com/news/maps-01a.html
Bentley and GEOPAK Join Forces
Bentley Systems, Incorporated has announced the successful completion of an acquisition by merger of GEOPAK Corporation, continuing Bentley's leadership in civil engineering software solutions worldwide. Prior to the merger, Bentley distributed GEOPAK products worldwide and owned a twenty-five percent stake in the then privately held company. Financial terms of the merger were not disclosed. Gabriel Norona, president and CEO of GEOPAK, becomes Bentley's senior vice president, Civil. He is responsible for Bentley's line of well-established and technically advanced civil engineering products including InRoads and GEOPAK. All GEOPAK employees will continue in their positions, as will the rest of Bentley's Civil staff. Bentley's Civil operations will be headquartered in Miami, with principal facilities in Alabama, Paris and Australia. This merger is integral to the company's strategy for rapid innovation in integrating survey/inspection functions, GIS, 3-D modeling, and stakeout/construction. Bentley intends to closely integrate both GEOPAK and InRoads with its engineering information management servers including ProjectWise and InterPlot/Digital Print Room.
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www.bentley.com
Paradigm completes installation of ServiTrack's L-Biz-R enabled tracking system for Venezuela
PowerLOC Technologies Inc., a subsidiary of Paradigm Advanced Technologies, Inc., an international provider of wireless location-based electronic commerce (L-commerce) solutions, confirmed today that it has completed its L-Biz(R) Tracker(TM) installation for their exclusive LSP(R) (Location Service Provider) for Venezuela, ServiTrack Tecnologias C.A. ServiTrack is an affiliated company to Telecomunicaciones, Electronica y Control C.A. (Teletrol), a long established high technology firm based in Caracas, Venezuela, that provides a variety of industrial control and security-based services as well as wireless solutions to the Venezuelan marketplace. The proprietary L-Biz(R) Tracker(TM) Server System is now in full operation for its Vehicle Location Device (VLD) product line. ServiTrack is now able to provide enhanced vehicle security as well as precise vehicle and asset location and tracking information via the Internet to thousands of its customers. PowerLOC's unique Tracker(TM) system offers mapping, wireless network access and Internet connectivity to their users. ServiTrack has agreed to acquire a significant quantity of Vehicle Location Devices over the next 15 months.
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http://www.powerloc.com/ &
http://www.teletrol.com.ve/
Asia News
HP recognition for Kochi firm
KOCHI: The Kochi-based Team Frontline has been adjudged as the Best Out Location Service Provider for the whole of south India by Hewlett Packard India.
The company has received this award in recognition to its customer support services rendered for HP products such as servers, desktop systems, laser and inkjet printers and storage products.
Last year, the company was selected as the best upcountry market performer by Hewlett Packard, a press release said.
The award was presented to Mr Rajesh A. Kartha, Head, Customer Support, Team Frontline by Mr Vivek Dwivedi, Channel Support Manager, HP India in Bangalore recently.
Source:
Business Line
