GlobeXplorer
Encyclopedia
GlobeXplorer was an online spatial data company that compiled and distributed aerial photos, satellite imagery, and map data from their online spatial archives. Based in Walnut Creek, CA, GlobeXplorer has been credited as the first company to establish a business around compiling and distributing online aerial and satellite imagery
.
and NASA
. It grew from a NASA EOCAP project of HJW's to place ready-made orthophotography online, and an internal project of Sun Microsystems and Oracle to counter the Microsoft "Terraserver" technology demonstration. The EOCAP project concluded with the creation of an 'earth imagery' searchable website in 1998. HJW was acquired by Harrod's of London, who provided financial backing to spin out the online effort into GlobeXplorer, which launched its public website in September 2000. A article entitled "Now you, too, can be a Spy" appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal's business section, and traffic reached nearly 4 million page views the first day. In 2005, GlobeXplorer acquired AirPhotoUSA, one of the nation’s leading providers of aerial imagery. Previous owner Stewart Title (STC) sold the company to Digital Globe in early January 2007.
, Zillow.com
, National Geographic, Reply.com, and the Germany-based Map24
.com, as well as inside various professional real estate services like CoStar, eNeighborhoods, and Rappatoni MLS. It also provided Mapquest
with imagery in 2001 and 2002.
Satellite imagery
Satellite imagery consists of photographs of Earth or other planets made by means of artificial satellites.- History :The first images from space were taken on sub-orbital flights. The U.S-launched V-2 flight on October 24, 1946 took one image every 1.5 seconds...
.
Products
GlobeXplorer’s primary products were the ImageAtlas viewer and ImageBuilder web developer toolkit. They also provide ImageConnect extensions and web services for GIS and CAD.History
GlobeXplorer was founded in 1999 by Rob Shanks, Chris Nicholas, and Paul Smith (former executives at HJW GeoSpatial, Inc.) through partnerships with Sun MicrosystemsSun Microsystems
Sun Microsystems, Inc. was a company that sold :computers, computer components, :computer software, and :information technology services. Sun was founded on February 24, 1982...
and NASA
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
. It grew from a NASA EOCAP project of HJW's to place ready-made orthophotography online, and an internal project of Sun Microsystems and Oracle to counter the Microsoft "Terraserver" technology demonstration. The EOCAP project concluded with the creation of an 'earth imagery' searchable website in 1998. HJW was acquired by Harrod's of London, who provided financial backing to spin out the online effort into GlobeXplorer, which launched its public website in September 2000. A article entitled "Now you, too, can be a Spy" appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal's business section, and traffic reached nearly 4 million page views the first day. In 2005, GlobeXplorer acquired AirPhotoUSA, one of the nation’s leading providers of aerial imagery. Previous owner Stewart Title (STC) sold the company to Digital Globe in early January 2007.
Prominent Customers
In addition to its own website, GlobeXplorer's imagery and property data was licensed to Ask.comAsk.com
Ask is a Q&A focused search engine founded in 1996 by Garrett Gruener and David Warthen in Berkeley, California. The original software was implemented by Gary Chevsky from his own design. Warthen, Chevsky, Justin Grant, and others built the early AskJeeves.com website around that core engine...
, Zillow.com
Zillow.com
Zillow is an online real estate database that was founded in 2005 by Rich Barton and Lloyd Frink, former Microsoft executives and founders of Microsoft spin-off Expedia. The website uses a proprietary algorithm called the "Zestimate" to appraise property values based on undisclosed factors...
, National Geographic, Reply.com, and the Germany-based Map24
Map24
Map24 was a free online mapping service, providing street level maps and driving directions for many parts of the world. Map24 was taken offline on September 15th 2011. www.map24.com is now pointing to maps.nokia.com. Map24 was owned and operated by Mapsolute GmbH, a producer of geographic software...
.com, as well as inside various professional real estate services like CoStar, eNeighborhoods, and Rappatoni MLS. It also provided Mapquest
MapQuest
MapQuest is an American free online web mapping service owned by AOL. The company was founded in 1967 as Cartographic Services, a division of R.R. Donnelley & Sons in Chicago, Illinois, United States. It moved to Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1969. When it became an independent company in 1994, it was...
with imagery in 2001 and 2002.