Dec 24 1997
From The Space Library
EarthWatch Inc. of Longmont, Colorado, launched into orbit Early Bird 1, the first private spy satellite. The launch, which took place in Russia, ended government domination of space spying. According to EarthWatch, Early Bird 1 had the capability to track objects on Earth as small as 10-feet (3-meters) long. The company also reported that "customers were lining up to buy images." Customers for Early Bird 1 services included public interest groups, planning to track military movement and arms control measures, and foreign governments, without the resources to launch their own satellites. Because Early Bird 1 was an American-produced satellite, the U.S. federal government retained the right to switch it off during wartime, as well as the right to filter images sold to foreign customers. Experts predicted that the security and privacy questions surrounding the first private spy satellite would take years to sort out. However, they also surmised that Early Bird 1 was only the first in the wave of satellites that private industry would launch during the coming decade.
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