German Radar Satellite Lifts Off Tonight

2Y9D57 writes "Germany's new TanDEM-X radar satellite is scheduled to lift off from Baikonur Cosmodrome at 04:15 Berlin time on 21 June — that's 10:14 pm Eastern today (20 June). Flying in close formation with its twin satellite, TerraSAR-X, TanDEM-X will generate the most consistent and highest-resolution digital elevation map ever of the Earth — 12m = 40ft. pixel pitch. It will take three years to image all 150 million square kilometers (58 million square miles), in the process generating more than 350 TB of raw data. Here's where to go as the time approaches for live streaming."

Comments

ah, the logic of it

[yyxx]

So, let me see whether I get this right:

Google taking street photos = bad (according to Germans).

The German government making high resolution elevation maps from space = good (according to Germans).

Where can I complain if I don't want my private property mapped by the German government?

Re:ah, the logic of it

[fatnickc]

Apparently Google's suggestion that people build a wall if they didn't want photos to be taken didn't go down so well

Re:ah, the logic of it

[2Y9D57]

Where can I complain if I don't want my private property mapped by the German government?

Don't worry. The reflection from your tinfoil hat will blind the radar over your house.

Re:ah, the logic of it

[hedwards]

You must be one fat bastard to be showing up on a 12 meter pixel pitch image. I'm really curious as to how you get around if you're being covered by multiple pixels.

Re:ah, the logic of it

[EdIII]

Some of us here on Slashdot will take up multiple pixels, but only when we get excited.

Bloody typical

[Anonymous Coward]

It's launching in Europe on the 21st June but on the 20th in the USA. Why is the good shit always released in the US first?

</typicalslashdotrant>

Hope they image Area 51

[Anonymous Coward]

and also Area 51A!

Zee Germans are coming?

[denzacar]

Poor rabbits...