2018 Newsworthy Events Seen From Space
2017 was packed full of newsworthy events, and 2018 was no different. In this post, we recap the most impactful events of 2018 (as seen from space!) including volcanic eruptions, secret missile bases, open-ocean naval exercises, and devastating natural disasters.
Satellite imagery provides a unique perspective of things happening on Earth and helps businesses, governments, news organizations, NGOs, and first responders better understand the physical aspects of events taking place around the world to make smarter decisions. Enjoy!
Chinese Naval Exercises Spotted in the South China Sea
Chinese naval exercises can be seen in stunning detail in the open ocean off Hainan island in the South China Sea.
An Island Camp Built to House Rohingya
Development of roads and buildings on a remote island in the Bay of Bengal indicated Bangladeshi officials are preparing the island to house 100,000 Rohingya.
Construction of Migrant Child Facilities in Texas
A temporary tent city is built in Tornillo, Texas to house thousands of migrant children.
Devastating Camp Fire Burns Through Northern California
Just four hours after the Camp Fire in Butte County, California erupted, Planet’s Dove satellites caught some of the first images of the blaze.
Military Strikes on Three Targeted Sites in Syria
The United States, along with France and Britain, launched military strikes on three sites suspected to be part of Syria’s chemical weapons program.
Monitoring Coal Emissions in China
China publishes its coal power-plant usage with a one-year delay. This did not stop Carbon Tracker, a UK-based, non-profit financial think tank, from using satellite imagery to immediately estimate the country’s emissions, fuel stocks, and other commercially important measures.
Damage caused by an earthquake and resulting tsunami in Palu, Indonesia was more wide-spread than what can be seen in a photograph. Satellite imagery taken three days after the earthquake show the broad impact of the disaster.
North Korea Expands Missile Facility
Newly erected buildings at a missile facility in the northern suburbs of Pyongyang indicate continued progress in the country’s nuclear and missile program, stated analysts at Middlebury Institute of International Studies (MIIS) at Monterey, California.
Rapid expansion of re-education centers in China’s Xinjiang region
Satellite imagery reveals a growing camp with large scale construction of new housing for detainees, parking lots, more guard towers, and a dorm for construction workers.
Remote Missile Facility Found in Iran
California-based analysts at MIIS discovered a secret nuclear facility at a remote Iranian desert site that is believed to be building advanced rocket engines and rocket fuel.
Monitoring the World’s Most Strategic Oil Shipping Routes
TankerTrackers uses AIS data to track oil flows and estimate the output of key producers such as Iran, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia. When these vessels turn their AIS transponders off, TankerTrackers relies on satellite imagery to monitor clandestine activities.
Kilauea Volcano’s Violent Eruption
The explosive eruption of Kilauea Volcano on Hawaii Island unleashed a cloud of hazardous ash 30,000 feet covering the once serene Leilani Estates.
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