IKONOS satellite ...... 1.0 meter.... civilian mapping

SPOT satellite............2.5 meters....civilian mapping

From Space.com (September 21, 1999)

According to an estimate by the private Federation of American Scientists (FAS),three satellites operated by the U.S. National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) have resolutions as sharp as 10 centimeters (3.93 inches) -- in other words, the satellites can discern a softball-sized object from several hundred miles away.

Tim Brown, a security analyst at FAS, describes 10-centimeter resolution as "our best approximation, derived from a few sources." The number and capabilities of U.S. spy satellites are classified

From USAToday (May 12, 2003)

In 1994, President Clinton signed a directive allowing U.S. companies to sell commercial images taken from space on a restricted basis. Clinton's policies limited these businesses to images of about 20-inch resolution, too big to show a person, and severely limited exports of satellite technology by U.S. companies. The new policy will allow these exports, subject to approval by Defense and foreign policy officials.

Critics have been concerned that this technology could fall into the wrong hands, such as terrorists targeting dams or power plants or unfriendly nations looking for weak points in U.S. security. But during the Iraq war, the spy satellite companies acted as "good citizens," the senior administration official said. The official said those businesses restricted sales that might have threatened national security and provided timely images to defense agencies.

During operations last year in Afghanistan, the U.S. government purchased all satellite time from Space Imaging of Thornton, Colo., which then was the only operating private company. Now, three U.S. and one Israeli companies operate private spy satellites, and the private sector of several other nations plan to enter the arena.

"This policy really confirms the government is behind the industry," said Mark Brender of Space Imaging.

In November, his company asked the government for permission to launch a private spy satellite with 10-inch resolution of the ground, which will now be approved. Currently, the company's IKONOS satellite takes pictures with a 39-inch resolution. A competitor, DigitalGlobe of Longmont, Colo., takes images with a 24-inch resolution. "Higher resolution images provide more information and more detail needed for military mapping, state and local government zoning and homeland security disaster preparedness," Brender said.