The Wonders of Satellite Mapping Technology

In the modern day world, there’s really no such thing as venturing into the unknown. With the tremendous advancements in technology, not only is the whole world a much smaller place, but it is also a place where getting lost is a thing of the past, at least on the surface. Gone are the days when explorers had to risk their lives and travel far and wide in order chart out new territories and carve out routes to new destinations. Today, thanks to the “eye-in-sky” every square foot of our grand planet has now been recorded for posterity.

If you are still wondering as to which aspect of technology is being referred to here, then I have three words for you for you- Satellite Map Technology. Satellite map technology has evolved in leaps in bounds over the last 40 years and the results of its progress are here for all to see, literally!

In the beginning, the very first satellite images came during the 1950s from the Russian Satellite - Sputnik. Although these images weren’t very clear, they did give a good impression of how the earth looks when viewed from outer space. The next stage of development took place in the 1970s when the pictures taken from space were available in color, but even then the images were still quite rough.

However, the images taken by satellites in the 90s were telling beyond what one could imagine in the 1970s or even the 80s for that matter. This is because even then the average satellite map was so precise that you could actually spot an object on the ground that is a little over 2 feet across.

Back then, these images were only available to and used by the army and the government. In more recent times, the far reaching impact of the internet is responsible for bringing satellite imagery to the general population. What was once the main bastion of an exclusive few like engineers, scientists and military is now available to just about anyone with access to the internet.

One of the biggest players in the internet industry to have brought satellite map technology to millions is Google, who provides satellite images to users through its Google maps program. Apart from Google, some of the best satellite maps are also provided by the NASA or National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

The amazing clarity and detail of new age satellite images has enabled the creation of the best satellite mapping system known to man, that is Global Positioning System or GPS. Not only are these satellite maps amazing to look at, but perhaps the biggest advantage of satellite map technology is that you never need to be lost again while driving your car.

In other words, you can travel to the far corners of the earth and forget about having to rack your brains trying to figure out a paper map ever again!