Google has moved off land, into the sea and the sky (space) to further some of its earthly objectives. On Saturday the GeoEye-1 satellite launched into space. The noteworthy thing about this satellite is that it has the highest resolution of any orbiter taking pictures of Earth.

While Google is the only mapping provider that will benefit from that imagery, it’s not the only one that will collect images from the satellite. The US Department of Defense will reportedly also be using the high resolution imagery for its own purposes.

The resolution of the camera will apparently be able to capture details down to the size of 41 centimeters or 16 inches.

Image credit: Geoeye Corp.

Separately, Google is also considering developing offshore data barges (“water-based” data centers) that will use the motion of the ocean to create electricity. The published patent application offers the following abstract:

A system includes a floating platform-mounted computer data center comprising a plurality of computing units, a sea-based electrical generator in electrical connection with the plurality of computing units, and one or more sea-water cooling units for providing cooling to the plurality of computing units.

There’s a joke in here somewhere about the GeoEye satellite’s hypothetical re-entry into the atmosphere, in years to come, splashing down and crashing into one of the (future) Google data barges.

Related Topics: Features: General | Google: Maps & Local | Google: Partnerships

About The Author: Greg Sterling is a Contributing Editor at Search Engine Land. He writes a personal blog Screenwerk, about SoLoMo issues and connecting the dots between online and offline. He also posts at Internet2Go, which is focused on the mobile Internet. Follow him @gsterling. See more articles by Greg Sterling