DENVER,ÊDec.Ê17, 2001 -ÊSpace Imaging’s IKONOS satellite, the world’s first high-resolution, commercial earth imaging satellite, just completed it second year in mission on Sept. 24. After taking more than 500,000 images to date, Space Imaging is releasing the 10 most stunning images for 2001 to commemorate its second year anniversary. The images, which are featured on Space Imaging’s Web site, include the tragic image of the World Trade Center destruction; the U.S. Navy EP-3 on Hainan Island, China; Venice, Italy; Mount Pinatubo in the Philippines; the island of Bora Bora in French Polynesia; the Burj Al Arab Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates; the new Invesco Field and the old Mile High Stadium in Denver, Colo.; downtown Singapore; the Dolomite Mountains in Italy; and the Bushehr nuclear reactor in Iran.

Since its launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Cal. on Sept. 24, 1999, IKONOS has logged many milestones:

  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Completed 11,900 orbits around the earth
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Collected more than 20 million square kilometers of nearly cloud-free imagery
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Created more than 500,000 images, which are stored in Space Imaging’s digital archive
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ On average collects about 900 images per day
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ Collected images over every continent on the Earth’s surface

    During the past two years, IKONOS has set the new standard for high-resolution imagery around the world. The quality and performance is unsurpassed, said John Copple, CEO of Space Imaging. Our imagery and derived products have affected the lives and livelihoods of people, businesses and governments around the world.

    IKONOS imagery has been used in diverse ways:

  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ IKONOS imagery of the World Trade Center destruction was donated to emergency response agencies such as the New York Governor’s Office of Technology and the Central Survey Group of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey; FEMA; and the Army Corp of Engineers.
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ IKONOS imagery is being used in Operation Enduring Freedom.
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ The U.S. Forest Service uses IKONOS imagery for its Burned Area Emergency Rehabilitation (BAER) program to mitigate erosion after a forest fire in a national forest.
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ The country of Jamaica has bought IKONOS imagery of the entire country to update its maps which are used for urban planning, transmission systems design, telecommunications, emergency response, and population assessment.Ê
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association is using IKONOS imagery to study the health of coral reef on the Pacific Rim.
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ SPIRENT Systems is using IKONOS imagery in flight simulation software allowing pilots to practice safe take-off and landings at airports around the world.
  • ÊÊÊÊÊÊÊÊ In the California wine country, IKONOS imagery is being used to study the effects of Pierce’s Disease on thousands of square miles of crops.

    About Space Imaging

    Space Imaging is a leading supplier of visual information products and services derived from space imagery and aerial photography. The company launched the world’s first one-meter resolution, commercial earth imaging satellite, IKONOS, on Sept. 24, 1999. Other products are produced from the Indian Remote Sensing satellites, U.S. Landsat; RADARSAT and the European Space Agency’s ERS satellites. Space Imaging also delivers aerial-derived imagery products collected by its own Digital Airborne Imaging System (DAIS-1″).

    NOTE TO PHOTO EDITORS:

    The top 10 most spectacular images of 2001 are available on the Web to the media for illustration and publishing purposes.Ê Images must be attributed to Space Imaging.Ê

    # # #