Historically, satellite images of weapons plants and launch sites have kept superpowers at bay. In the future, this data could be used by human-rights groups to uncover instances of ethnic cleansing in war zones like Bosnia. Likewise, journalists could use satellite data to see into areas where they have been prohibited from setting foot. The class, offered through the School of Communication at American, is being offered both online and on campus as a nontechnical introduction to the practical uses of satellite imagery. Aerial sensors on board the satellites capture the images, which are then processed by specialized high-end software programs that interpret the data for a graphical user interface.
Users can then see the data as images with markers that the software inserts.
If interpreted correctly, these images can put a user in the middle of a situation without having to be there. The key is interpretation, and this is part of what Simpson hopes to show students. For example, a journalist studying an image of Bosnia would need to know to look for certain markers to determine whether and where ethnic cleansing is taking place. These markers include abandoned towns, indicated by fields that lie unplanted or unharvested, or large amounts of earth that have been moved around by bulldozers. By spotting these markers, an inspector or reporter can focus on an area, then ask that it be investigated by foot.