Satellite Imagery

[Lodesman]

Originally Posted by GreyRaven

I find that it decidedly sucks that with all the satellites up there monitoring God and the world, for which we (both Americans and Europeans) are paying untold sums of taxpayer money, and close observation is taking place 24/7/365, in order to ostensibly monitor terrorists/drug runners/illegal immigrants/citizens, that it is not possible to use these tools to also find Mr. Yarara on his 53 ft. Swan, whose life and ship are in danger.

I believe that to use these resources only for “restricted purposes” and to ignore other lifesaving applications, is a misuse of those abilities and should be considered criminal negligence.

It’s not as if a human had to check several hundred thousand square kilometers of open sea. That’s what the computers do and are there for. “Contessa 7” could have been easily located long ago and help could have been deployed.

The fact that it hasn’t happened is disgusting.

Main thing is, they can read your license plates and track your movements.

The whole thing is Orwellian.

And inhumane.

Umm, satellites look down - to read your license plates they would have to be mounted to the roof of your car and the letters would need to be half a metre (1 1/2 ft) tall. And the sky needs to be clear. I don't know of any computer sophisticated enough to do what you suggest - perhaps you or your fellow conspiracy theorists have proof otherwise?? An awful lot of our (taxpayers) money goes to SARSAT, Coast Guards, RCCs, etc. These are staffed by dedicated professionals, and they have the latest and best technology available to provide search and rescue services, free to all mariners in distress. The governments are not all bad.

Kevin