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What is IKONOS?
When GeoEye successfully launched the IKONOS® satellite in 1999, it made history as the world's first one-meter commercial remote sensing satellite. Prior to 1999, images of Earth of this detail were only available from government intelligence satellites. Since then, GeoEye has set the standard for quickly delivering large volumes of Earth images for a variety of industries and applications ranging from national security and disaster assessment to urban planning and agricultural monitoring. IKONOS has collected millions of square miles of imagery around the world that is readily available in our digital archive and searchable through our online search tool, Image Search .

Orbiting at 17,000 miles per hour, IKONOS collects imagery at a rate of more than 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) per minute. IKONOS satellite imagery provides access to any location on the Earth's surface every three days. Through the nearly fifteen, 98-minute journeys it makes around the globe each day, IKONOS collects vital statistics about the Earth's ever-changing features-from fluctuations in land and water resources to the build-out of new urban areas. Commercial and governmental organizations rely on GeoEye's high-resolution imagery to view, map, measure, monitor and manage global activities.

More about IKONOS.

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How detailed are images from IKONOS?
Images from the IKONOS satellite are typically sold at 1-meter (3.28 foot) resolution. Any object on the Earth's surface measuring 1-meter by 1-meter in size can be distinguished in an IKONOS image. In some cases, objects that are much smaller than 1-meter can be seen if they are highly contrasted with their background. For example, white parking lot lines on black asphalt are easily recognized in IKONOS images.

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How detailed are GeoEye posters?
The detail in GeoEye posters depends on the size of the poster you purchase and the land area covered by the poster. Generally in a 24x30 inch poster, you will be able to see individual buildings, trees and cars and in some cases car windshields but not individual people. In most cases you can see parking lot lines that are painted on asphalt and read lettering that is printed in football stadium end zones. On a 16x20 inch poster, you can still identify individual cars, but you will usually not be able to see car windshields. Trees and building are easily identifiable. On an 8x10 inch poster, buildings are still easily identifiable but it becomes difficult to identify individual cars or trees. Lettering in football stadium end zones cannot be read easily and parking lot lines cannot be seen. See an example.

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What is the standard delivery time for GeoEye posters?
Posters ordered from GeoEye are typically shipped within 10 days of order receipt.

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Should I order my poster "laminated"?
GeoEye posters can be ordered as laminated or not laminated.  There is no additional charge to have the poster laminated.  If you intend to frame the poster our have it mounted, we recommend an unlaminated poster.  It is more difficult to make a laminated poster adhere to some mounting surfaces and the lamination can cause additional glare if the poster is framed under glass.  If you do not plan to frame or mount the poster, it will be more durable if you order it laminated.

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What if I want a satellite image of my house?
GeoEye currently provides pre-produced posters of various locations such as universities, parks, cities and golf courses. By calling a Customer Service Representative or using our online search and discovery tool, CARTERRA Online, you can purchase digital data that is delivered on CD from our digital archive. The minimum charge for a color image from our IKONOS archive is $377 for 49 square kilometers (18.9 square miles). Later this year, GeoEye will offer the ability to order custom posters from images in our archive. If you are interested in being notified when this service becomes available, please send us a comment.

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See a sample online.

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Using the site

Using the shopping cart
Start off by browsing or searching for an image or poster.

  • Select a category from the dropdown. You may click "Go" at this time to display all of the products available.
  • Further refine your search by keying words into the text box.
  • Click "Go" to start your search.
  • Popular categories are listed. Select a link to display results in those categories. Categories will be updated from time to time.
  • On the Results page, items are arranged in groups of nine. More than nine items may be available. Move through the selections by clicking on the "More >" link. On the second and subsequent pages, you may return by either clicking on your browser's Back button, or using the "< Back" link provided at the top and bottom of the page.
  • Select a product by clicking on the image or the "Configure Order" link. This will take you to a detail page with a larger preview of the poster.
  • Configure your order by selecting the quantity, size, and in the case of a poster whether you would like to have it laminated (no charge for this feature).
  • Once you have configured your order, click the "Add to Cart" button. You will be taken to a page that displays your cart contents. If you wish to order a different size of an image, you must return to that product and configure your order for that size. When you return to the "View Cart" page, you will see both sizes of the products.
  • To continue shopping, click the "Keep Shopping" link or use your Browser's "Back" button
  • If you notice a mistake in the cart page, you may choose to remove that item by selecting on the "Remove" checkbox. You must click the "Update" link to remove it from your cart. Note: using the "Back" button will not remove the item.
  • The items in your cart will remain, even if you leave the site, until you 1) click on "Empty Basket;" 2) Purchase an item; or 3) if a year has expired.
  • Complete your purchase by clicking "Checkout" from any of the search pages. You may view your cart at any time by clicking the "View Cart" link available on any page.

Why is my shopping cart empty?
To add items to the shopping cart, you must configure your selection and click the "Add to Cart" button. You may then view the items within the cart using the menu option that appears on each page.

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Purchasing/Payment

What forms of payment do you accept?
GeoEye accepts Visa, MasterCard, and American Express. We do not accept other forms of payment at this time.

Why didn't my credit card work?
There are a few common problems that may cause a valid credit card to fail.

  • First, the numbers may be transposed when they are entered. Please check the numbers against those on your card.
  • Second, make sure that the address you have entered is exactly as it appears on your credit card billing statement.
  • Third, do NOT enter hyphens or dashes between the groups of 4 or 5 digit numbers (e.g., 1234-5678-9012-3456 will fail whereas 12345678901234 will be accepted as valid).
  • Fourth, check the expiration date. It must be valid, and it must exactly match that on your credit card.
  • Fifth, it's possible, but not likely that the credit card center may be busy when you order. If so, you'll be informed of the error and asked to retry.
  • Other than those common errors, other failures typically indicate that the card failed validation or authorization. You'll need to contact your credit card company for further details.

What are my other purchase options?
There are no other purchase options. For other image needs, contact Customer Service at 1.800.232.9037 or Worldwide at 703.480.4640. Contact us by phone Monday - Friday, 8:00AM - 5:30PM EST. Or contact us by email at info@geoeye.com. Or you may call a sales representative or authorized GeoEye Reseller. Find a reseller.

Will you charge me for shipping?
Currently, GeoEye charges a flat fee of $4.95 for domestic shipping and handling per order; $34.95 for addresses outside the United States and Canada. Delivery is handled through the U.S. Postal Service. In the future we may add other shipping options and charges.

What about sales tax?
GeoEye has absorbed the sales tax in this promotion. This is subject to change.

How do I return a product?
Sorry. Returns are not accepted. Be sure to preview the images prior to purchase. Preview a sample online.

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