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Google Earth Technology

Backyard Space Photography

Picture from 30km

From the excellent Google Earth Blog, Frank links to another great example of what the process of democratising technology has achieved.

A group of guys launched a fully instrumented sensor package below a helium balloon, which was tracked in real time using google earth and produced some stunning images. The video on their site of the launch and recovery of the balloon, are great fun – you can just sense the excitement !!

Ok so this may not be a practical remote sensing application yet, but it’s amazing.. pictures from 30 km high, a third of the way to space, taking with a Canon Digital camera you could buy on the high street.

Written and submitted from home, using my home 802.11 network.

3 replies on “Backyard Space Photography”

that is great, when you have open space like that found in the US it would be a crime NOT to do stuff like this. However, releasing a 5ft helium balloon over surbiton isn’t likey to impress many people, especially the CAA…
My dad used to fly kites with leicas dangling from the bottom from towerblocks in london in the 70’s to get oblique images – this seems like a Jetsons version of the same thing. sooooo cool, thanks for the link.

Well Grumpo-phobe your comment is most interesting bearing in mind your identity is concealed. Perhaps you should declare who you are before you start being critical of others! As for generalisation; No you have it wrong as I was specific as well as being general which does reflect the current situation regarding lack of security of personal data and is in line with Ed Parsons original comment.

If all you can do Grumpo-phobe is hide behind anonymity and have a go others well your views are pretty pathetic. Just because yours views are different from others doesn’t mean you are necessarily right or wrong! I note you have not suggested ways as to how this situation could be remedied, that is typical of an idiot who has nothing interesting to say and little or no contribution to make!

Is this an Ed Parsons fan club website where the only views acceptable are those that pay homage to Ed Parsons views and Google or is it a website where serious comments can be posted based on topics that Ed Parson posts!

All I ask in this respect is that if someone feels they wish to attack me personally then they should have the guts to identify themselves!

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