Is it true that satellite cameras can zoom in on anyone on the planet?

Question

Is there anywhere on earth not yet reached by global 'CCTV'? How much can these 'cameras' see? Please provide references/ web addresses if poss.

Answer 1

Yes. Your pants are wrinkled, and your grilled cheese is almost done.

Answer 2

There is a formula relating the size of the lens of the camera in space to the smallest object that it can see (theta = lambda/D). Basically it says if you trade off a bigger lens and lower altitude, you can see smaller things. Thus, theoretically, you would need a 10m lens to see something 1 cm big at a height of 10km in height. Scale that up for convenince. (Note the Space Station and Shuttle fly at ~200km). So, it is impossible to track or image a newsaper from space. Full stop!
With sophisticated algorithms and other types of additional information, you could track a person (who is perhaps a metre wide and distinguishable e.g. ginger hair) from space - but only for a few minutes at most before the satellite passed around the curve of the Earth. Therefore the film "Enemy of the State" is mostly a pile of rubbish.
There is nowhere that has not potentially been reached by CCTV footage. However, you would need a low-level satellite (100km or less) which tends to fall back into the atmosphere after a few months due to air-friction. If the satellite is higher up, then it lasts longer, but can capture less detailed images. Hence, the only places that tend to get imaged are those with political or other sensitive requirements. To be honest, Google Earth represents most of what satellite imagery can provide - otherwise why invest in Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (in Iraq, for example)?

Answer 3

Yes they can. Look at google earth for instance - if that is the kind of detail they allow the general public to view then you can only imagine what the newest satellites are capable of. Military ones for example.

We have no idea how many of them are up there. If you look at the night sky closely you can actually see them (some are not 'spy' satellites - the hubble telescope for example). They look just like stars but they move across the sky at a steady pace for several minutes until they disappear from sight. I see them all the time and thought they were meteors or something like that until my astronomy lecturer explained what they were. It's because they are reflecting the sunlight they appear like a star. Look out for them...

Answer 4

Sorry I don't have any references, but I know the best spy cameras can read the headlines on a newspaper. But only the government has access to these satellites and the data from them. The images that are released to the public have a much lower resolution.

Answer 5

I've used google earth to look at my street and could just make out my car parked in front of the house. It wasn't a very clear picture, but this apparently varies depending on the weather etc. I couldnt see any people, but have heard that if you get a clear picture you can see people anywhere in the world. Scary thought, big brother is watching!

Answer 6

Satellites are not able to zoom in on anyone with good detail, but they can get pretty close. At most when zoomed in, many will become a blob and it will be somewhat hard to distinguish as there will most likely be many blobs around as well. Don't be fooled by what the movies and television show you, that's for getting ratings.

Answer 7

Yes its true just look at satellite pictures published by the americans periodically to justify murdering innocent civilians in war. There is one place that it doesn't appear to reach and that is the White House or it wouldn't have taken so long to catch Clinton out with his lies about his sex life!

Answer 8

Have you ever looked up your house on Google Earth?

I have, and I can see my house, car, yard and things like that. If they can get a shot like that then I am sure the government can do one better and zoom in on your watch to tell the time.

Answer 9

Go to google Maps and zoom in sometimes it is very high resolution depending on the area so I imagine the technology is available to look at individual people, On the google map site check out moscow and Japan its very clear.

Answer 10

Yes.
Durign the last of the cold war, we cameras brought cameras online that were able to clearly show the headline of a newspaper in a Soviet spy's hand.
Sat-Cams can read your license plate, and if they're the infrared variety, they can see you in your house moving around or having sex.

Answer 11

The invasion of privacy afforded by these low-life satellite systems is disturbing and should merit the attention of everyone alive. But, if people only knew (if they only fkn knew) what those towers that are all around us - the ones with the dishes and transducers etc. are doing to us without our knowledge -- I swear total anarchy would prevail. People really need to understand what kind of control we are subjected to. (without being aware)
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