satellites

Company Plans to Send 28 Tiny Satellites Into Space to Collect Aerial Photos

There are a couple of different types of imaging satellites currently orbiting our planet. On one end of the spectrum are specialized satellites that gather very high-resolution imagery in which you can identify objects as small as 3 feet across. On the other are the lower resolution satellites that beam down photos of larger areas.

California company Planet Labs wants to fill the space in-between, by providing an affordable middle-of-the-road option for companies interested in using it. To that effect, they're planning on launching 28 tiny, mid-resolution satellites called "Doves" into space before the year is out.

NASA’s Android-Powered Satellites Beam Down Smartphone Snaps from Orbit

Late last month, NASA launched Orbital Sciences' Antares rocket into space, and with it a trio of satellites powered, get this, by Android Phones. Part of the NASA project "PhoneSats," the three satellites spent a total of 5 days in space, after which they burned up in the atmosphere as planned -- but not before they had a chance to beam down some sub-par smartphone snaps of Earth as seen from Orbit.