Over the weekend, Google did one of the bigger things in its history (in my humble opinion) by launching a real satellite into space so that it can take high resolution images of the earth's surface. The Associated Press gives some detail into the technology that powers this launch:
A Delta 2 rocket carrying the GeoEye-1 satellite lifted off at 11:50 a.m. Saturday. Video on the GeoEye Web site showed the satellite separating from the rocket moments later on its way to an eventual polar orbit.
Cool? Well, they already have the lead on street view, so why not take it a step further? Of course, the skepticism mounts for taking behavior offline (though again, I think it's cool), and forum members are quick to acknowledge that this is not a project that is owned by Google. Google is partnering with other companies to make the satellite project happen.
Forum discussion continues at WebmasterWorld.