osamawatching with 200 spectral bands and < 1 m resolution commercial

[Subcommander Bob]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/sci/tech/newsid_1548000/1548860.stm

              US spy satellites have been given new
              instructions to concentrate their attention on
              Afghanistan and the search for Osama Bin
              Laden, and groups associated with him, sources
              have told BBC News Online.

              So-called Signal Intelligence (Sigint) satellites,
              designed to intercept radio and mobile phone
              traffic, have been "retasked", as have two spy
              satellites that take high-resolution images.

              The use of Sigint satellites marks a departure
              from normal procedure, as they are not usually
              used to gather intelligence about dissident groups
              in that region.

              BBC News Online also understands that US
              military sources have also made approaches to
              two commercial satellite operators, to use data
              from two private imaging satellites that will be
              launched in the next few weeks.

              Following conversations

              The so-called "retasking" of spy satellites is an
              unusual step that reflects the seriousness of the
              response to the hijack plane attacks on New York
              and Washington DC.

              Sigint satellites monitor electromagnetic signals
              and send them to sophisticated listening posts
              scattered over the globe where they are relayed
              to supercomputers in the US for analysis.

              In co-operation with the
              Echelon phone, fax and
              e-mail monitoring system
              that is also searching for
              evidence of subversive
              activity, the Sigint data
              are analysed using
              sophisticated programs
              that allow information to
              be extracted from the
              jumbled signals. It is
              thought that when
              conditions are favourable, individual mobile
              phone conversations can be followed.

              The main suspect identified by the US for last
              Tuesday's attacks, Osama Bin Laden, is said not
              to use mobile phones, for fear of being
              eavesdropped. But US military officials are clearly
              hoping that they may intercept some phone
              coverage, a task that should be helped by the
              small size and sparse communications
              infrastructure in Afghanistan - the country where
              Bin Laden is thought to reside.

              Imaging spy satellites are also returning
              high-resolution images back to the Pentagon.

              These images, able to detect individual people,
              will also be studied by computer to spot
              movements that could help analysts pinpoint Bin
              Laden.

              Private help

              Military officials are also considering using the
              capabilities of two private satellites that will be
              launched in the next few weeks.

              The first of these, Orbimage-4, is due to be put
              into orbit on 21 September from California.

              This is a private
              remote-sensing satellite
              with unique capabilities.
              It carries a camera that
              takes images in 200
              spectral bands -
              designed to analyse
              surface composition.

              Military analysts are
              considering whether it
              could be used to see
              through camouflage, which is often used by those
              on the ground who do not want their activities
              exposed by spy satellites passing overhead.

              The other satellite, Quickbird, to be operated by
              Digitalglobe, is set for launch on 18 October. It will
              have the greatest resolution of any non-military
              satellite. Able to see detail smaller than a metre,
              Quickbird could be used when military spy
              satellites are not in the correct place.