First Spy Satellite Commissioned by German Army
The once superior German military commissioned its first spy-in-the-sky (not to be confused with the pie-in-the-eye) earth satellite map system enabling the organization to take high definition photographs of locations regardless of darkness or cloud cover.
Similar to how dolphins speak to one another and see underwater, the synthetic-aperture radar (SAR) system uses five satellites that bounce radar pulses off the earth. Sophisticated computers convert the returning signals into a picture of the ground that can resolve features just 50 centimeters in width. In the case of the dolphins, the images are in their head. I never underestimated flipper you know!
Germany is to share the data with France, which operates Helios II military satellites that photograph the ground in the daytime. Can we expect the frogs and burgers to continue this sharing?
The $445 million system code named SAR Lupe, became operational this past summer and was officially handed over to the German military last thursday. Defense officials said Germany can take radar pictures of any place at about 10 hours’ notice, the time it takes for the satellite to arrive overhead and for the earth satellite map picture to be compiled. Look out!
