How Access to Satellite Images Shifts the View of War

upstart writes:

How access to satellite images shifts the view of war:

Media coverage of the war in Ukraine, which started almost a month ago, has included, arguably to an unprecedented extent, content shared via social media. This has included satellite photos that document troop movements and shocking damage to cities.

In recent days, pictures snapped by satellites in orbit have captured images which appear to show destroyed Russian helicopters, extensive damage to a shopping centre and residential districts in Mariupol, and a civilian tanker vessel on fire in the Black Sea.

Privately-owned companies that launch and operate their own satellites - such as Planet and Maxar - have distributed many satellite images of the conflict zone.

The proliferation of these images means members of the public and military analysts alike can try to gauge the situation on the ground in Ukraine and the progress of Russia's invading armed forces from thousands of miles away.

[...] So, what's changed? While government and intelligence agency satellites gather classified, secret information, commercial firms have long been able to sell their own, unclassified, imagery. And now, this material is being made easily accessible online.

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