Mountain View, California-based Internet giant Google plans to begin offering the highest resolution online  satellite imagery of earth through its Google Maps and Google Earth products, after signing an exclusive deal with satellite imagery company GeoEye, according to a report from news agency Reuters. GeoEye is planning to launch its new $502 million GeoEye-1 satellite on September 4, and if successful Google could begin receiving the high-resolution images destined for the company's popular online mapping applications after 45 to 60 days. Color Imagery At 64 Inch Resolution Ahead The new images will allow Google to greatly expand on the views it currently allows users of its Earth and Maps products to view, which presently show detail of at about 15 meters, or 49 feet, for most of the planet. The detail figures represent the size of the smallest object that can be recognized using satellite imagery. The GeoEye satellite will offer the highest resolution commercial images yet, with the ability to provide images at .41 meters, or 16 inches, in black and white and 1.65 meters, or about 64 inches, in color, according to GeoEye. While Google has higher resolution 16 centimeter, or 6 inch, satellite imagery for a few select locations such as Las Vegas, Nevada, the new color GeoEye pictures of earth are expected to be on average the most detailed of any free online service, topping the resolution offered by mapping services from such rivals Microsoft and Yahoo. The deal with GeoEye allowed Google to emblazon its logo on the Delta II rocket that will propel the new satellite, although the Internet search giant did not have any direct or indirect financial interest in GeoEye, according to GeoEye vice president of corporate communications and marketing Mark Brender in the Friday Reuters report. Google Expects To Use New Maps Worldwide Brender said Google lent its logo to GeoEye as a sign of its desire to offer the highest resolution satellite imagery available. "Google is interested in collecting the highest quality satellite imagery available and as a  symbol of this commitment has agreed to put the company logo on the first stage of our launch vehicle," Brender said. Despite the 4300-pound GeoEye-1's ability to take images as detailed as .41 meters, Google will for most locations be limited by governmental policy to showing a maximum resolution of half-meter -- or about 19 inch -- images, according to the report. Google did not disclose details of the agreement, however company spokeswoman Kate Hurowitz said the deal would benefit Google users, according to Reuters. "The combination of GeoEye's high-resolution, map-accurate satellite imagery from GeoEye-1 and Google's search and display capabilities provides users with access to rich, interactive visual image maps of the Earth," Hurowitz said in the report. Google Magnifies Earth And Map Images With GeoEye Satellite Deal Google said that it planned to use the new data for as much of the planet as possible. "It is our goal to display high-resolution imagery for as much of the world as possible, and GeoEye-1 will help further that  goal," Hurowitz said in a recent CNET report. Images from the satellite, which will orbit some 423 miles above the earth after launching from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base, are expected to replace images Google has used from an earlier GeoEye orbiter called IKONOS. The craft was originally scheduled to launch in April, however delays pushed the blast-off date forward. Google also uses satellite images from Digital Globe, one of GeoEye's rivals. GeoEye has set up a Web site where users can watch the launch of its newest satellite, which is scheduled to begin broadcasting live at 11:00 a.m. PDT on September 4 for an 11:15 a.m. PDT launch. Related Links:
| 
