China's satellite navigation plans threaten Galileo

China's decision to expand the functionality of its satellite navigation network could undermine the economics of Europe's nascent Galileo system, according to sources close to the project.
Until now, experts believed that China's "Beidou" navigation system – a 35-satellite constellation – would only be used by its armed forces. This explained China's decision to invest €200 million in Europe's €2.5 billion Galileo programme.
But things appear to have changed in Beijing. On 2 November, the country's official news agency Xinhua reported that Beidou would, from 2008, begin providing an "open" level of service, with 10-metre accuracy, in addition to its "authorised", encrypted military service. more...

Survey Gone Bad

A couple has been told that their dream home is literally too close for comfort to the neighbours.
Trish Hennan and Grant Stewart hired Cardel Homes to design and build their dream home in McKenzie Towne. The couple was just 12 hours away from moving in when Cardel phoned to say a mistake had been made.
The home was built 61 cm (2’) too close to the neighbours. More...

U.S. RELEASES PLAN FOR NATIONAL LAND IMAGING PROGRAM

WASHINGTON--The Bush Administration today announced the release of a plan for a U.S. National Land Imaging Program. The plan will serve as the framework for continuing the collection of moderate resolution multispectral remote sensing data for the globe. The new Program would be established at the Department of the Interior and would provide focused leadership and management for the nation’s land imaging efforts. More...

Google Earth Introduces Sky

Google (CA, USA) has launched Sky, a new feature that enables users of Google Earth to view the sky as seen from planet Earth.
With Sky, users can now float through the skies via Google Earth. This tool enables all Earth users to view and navigate through 100 million individual stars and 200 million galaxies. High resolution imagery and informative overlays create a playground for visualising and learning about space. More...

Photo Mapping Aids Poppy Eradication

With the stakes continuing to grow, the U.S. government and its allies constantly seek more-efficient methods to curb the trafficking of illicit drugs from Afghanistan and other nations. Working closely with an international contingent in Afghanistan, UXB International has played a major role in developing and implementing procedures for finding and destroying the poppy fields that produce much of the world’s opium and heroin supply. More...

In Review: The DC50 by Precision Solutions LLC

After the HP48 was discontinued, the search was on for its successor. Excitement about the introduction of the HP49G+ was short-lived, as it was plagued with reports of poor quality keyboards in early production models. This, together with the lack of a serial port, seemed to all but end its potential as a data collector. Then a new company, Precision Surveying Solutions LLC of Provo, Utah, introduced the DC49, creatively working around the limitations of the HP49G+. The HP49G+ never became a production data collector because of the release of its successor, the HP50g. Precision postponed the release of the DC49 knowing that the HP50g was on the horizon, and released the DC50 at the same time HP officially announced the HP50g. Read more...

TerraSAR-X

Orbiting the Earth at an altitude of approximately 514 kilometres, the satellite will use a radar beam to scan the planet's surface -- regardless of weather conditions, cloud cover or daylight -- and deliver fast and reliable data for a wide range of applications, producing a completely new range of options for commercial, public and scientific users. TerraSAR-X is the first national remote sensing satellite to be realised within the scope of a Public Private Partnership (PPP).

Design for GPS-Galileo Common Civil Signal

On 26 July 2007 the United States and the European Union announced their agreement to jointly adopt and provide an improved design for their respective Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signals. These signals will be implemented on the Galileo Open Service and the GPS IIIA new civil signal. Read more...

Easily Pocketed GPS

Hansel and Gretel may have had bread crumbs, but this is the 21st century — there’s no reason to resort to baked goods to keep track of your path through the woods. The Trackstick II is a tiny G.P.S. tracker that can record your wanderings for weeks at a time. Read more...