What no aerial photo of the actual launch? Boo-hiss

Did anyone actually solve the flying car mystery?

IMO Its not a shadow its a scorch mark from a burnt out car, which someone has parked next to. (Notice poor regrowth in the later pics from the area.)

The US military is able to tell a private company that it can't use its own equipment to its potential. Naturally, I'm shocked.

"the most the US Government will allow"

Still making laws for the world, then?

> Still making laws for the world, then?

If, by "world," you mean "Colorado," where DigitalGlobe is based, then yes. We used to let the UK make our laws for us, but that didn't work out so well.

You took the very words right out of my mouth. Although, I was thinking something stringer than 'shocked'!

MD

So what's to stop them opening a subsidary company in Mexico, buliding/launching a more powerful satalite from there, and taking pictures of people's papers using that instead?

Surely the US Military has no powers to stop people taking photographs from space, at any resolution. The only way they could assert an influence is if there is a US law which has effect for companies who own such equipment, which would be avoided by doing it elsewhere.

"Surely the US Military has no powers to stop people taking photographs from space"

Actually, you should google 'space denial' and then head over to http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/HJ20Aa02.html:

"George W Bush signed an executive order creating a new National Space Policy on Wednesday. The most crucial feature of this policy is that it "rejects future arms-control agreements that might limit US flexibility in space and asserts a right to deny access to space to anyone 'hostile to US interests'." "