Can we be tracked individually by satellite from space?

Question

I want to know can it be done?

Answer 1

(oh no!!! not a thumbs down... well that was lame)

yes we can. look at google earth. the government is able to get higher resolutions than that.

add an infrared filter to obtain heat signatures of people and add "camera tracking" and voila..... your tracking people

"Highly sensitive satellites can spot the wavelength signatures of gases in the atmosphere, as they can record between 100 to 250 different types of energy wavelengths, compared with other satellites, which pick up between only three and 12 types."
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2002/09/020913065336.htm

object tracking with cameras is a new tech and easily adaptable to sat image tech.

just yesterday they sent up a new recon sat capable of taking pictures and I think its assumable that they included the most up to date tech the us gov can afford.

researching.........
"the system was used to monitor tank movements during the Cold War."

"They not only take color, as well as black-and-white photos, but can also use different parts of the light spectrum to track human activities, including, for example, traces left by chemical weapons or heat generated by people in a building."

"The full capabilities of these systems are unknown outside the intelligence community, because they are among the most closely held secrets in government."

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB118714764716998275.html

Answer 2

Well, there are some satellites that can read the newspaper headline you're reading (as long as you were outside, and it was cloudless...) There are others that can tell you're a human *through* some clouds, but unless you have some sort of transmitter device, the answer is no. A cell phone, a pager, a bug - anything that identifies you uniquely *could* be tracked; but while other satellites could *see* you, maybe even follow you for a bit, their orbit would carry them away from you relatively quickly.

The satellites orbiting at Geo-synch, 23,600 miles high, would not have the optics to track you as you moved... but they *could* sense you if you had a transmitter.

Answer 3

You can if you're carrying the right transciever. In Portland Oregon and its suburbs every city bus has one. That way the bus agency gets a lot of useful traffic data. It's only accurate to within 30 feet though. Read the link. The paragraphs under "How it works:"
For buses, TransitTracker uses state-of-the-art Global Positioning System (GPS) technology to track how far a bus is from a stop. Every TriMet bus is equipped with a transmitter that allows continuous satellite tracking with an accuracy of about 30 feet.

Answer 4

Hello,

(ANS) In theory the answer is YES! its possible. However in practice its not so easy to do technically.

**You can track a person if they were tagged with a special GPS tracker or GPS transponder. This would send out a signal that would pin point the precise position of the person.

**Another method that I've heard about which I've read that the CIA & US government have used to assassinate high up people in groups like Al Quida is pin pointing the person by them using a satellite phone.

**Using something called "site cell analysis" a person can be tracked too a few meters by the use of the mobile phone. But only after a call is made, I believe this method was used in the Soham murder case.

**No! SatNav devices only receive signals from GPS satellites they cannot be used to track a person.

Ivan

Answer 5

What with hand held commercial units being able to position within 15 feet a latitude and longitude position, I would surmise that the DOD technology and capability is there to "zoom in" even tighter, and yes track you individually (if they wanted to). You've already heard stories of the drone that was believed to have spotted Bin Laden for assassination, but was denied by executive decision during the Clinton presidency.

[Do you have any state secrets that are for sale?]

Answer 6

You can be seen as an individual by a satellite.

Look at New York or London etc through Google Earth and you can make out the sun rooves on people's cars.

...and that's the dated, old fashioned civilian satellites.

i don't know if they can actively track you though, would seem a bit unrealistic.

Answer 7

No,you can't be tracked via satellite,they could take your picture and likely recognize you from it,but it could not track you.
Some of these unmanned drones could do it from say 60 thousand feet, you would never see it or hear it but it could watch you continually.

Answer 8

No. However we can track people on land with who carry a transmitting device attached to a GPS. If the signal was powerful enough it could be tracked from space.

Answer 9

As for biological signatures, no. Technology is not yet sophisticated enough to center in on our personally unique biological natures.

However, if you carry a cell phone with GPS, or drive in a car with the same, you can be tracked. The only current devices to do so are based upon signal sent and signal absorption technology.

Answer 10

Then I wouldn't be worried. After all, it's stuck up in outer space, right? What could it possibly do to me?