Publisher's Synopsis
During the Cold War, only the U.S. and Soviet governments possessed higher-resolution imaging satellites, which they used to collect overhead imagery data to support various military, intelligence, and civil missions. Today, however, public access to satellite imagery is rapidly expanding while a new generation of satellites is at the leading edge of growing global transparency. Almost any government, business, or organization can acquire overhead images of geographically remote or politically inaccessible locations; even individuals will soon be able to purchase images off the Internet. Images produced by earth-observation satellites can be used to meet a wide range of needs, including: * Surveying natural resources and deforestation * Monitoring the health of crops and vegetation * Supporting humanitarian and disaster relief operations * Warning countries of neighbors' military buildups * Supporting negotiations to settle territorial disputes. But not all uses - or users - of satellite images are benign.;Governments can use satellite images for aggressive purposes against other countries or against groups within their own countries; others, including terrorists and narco-traffickers, may use satellite images for their own harmful purposes. Commercial Observation Satellites: At the Leading Edge of Global Transparency brings together an international group of experts to analyze the policy issues presented by the new generation of commercial and civilian observation satellites. With more than two dozen chapters and numerous satellite images, the book defines the broader political, military, and market context for these new imaging satellite systems and addresses several emerging policy issues. The book features an in-depth survey of American and several non-U.S. satellite remote sensing programs and offers case studies on how satellite imagery impacts a broad range of foreign-policy, security, and humanitarian issues.;This timely book should be of particular interest to government policymakers and analysts, business and industry leaders, and nongovernmental organizations, journalists, academics and others interested in understanding how unprecedented access to commercial satellite imagery can be used to address a broad range of public policy problems.