E-mail updates
Follow on Twitter
Subscribe to RSS
Google / DigitalGlobe / GeoEye
This Google Earth image shows Osama bin Laden's triangular compound toward the left side of the frame.
The climax of the Osama drama took place on the ground in Pakistan, but the gutsy military operation would have been impossible to pull off without a web of orbiting satellites.
The proof of that emerged today in accounts of the plan to get Osama bin Laden: Once the CIA and the U.S. military focused in on bin Laden's potential hideout in the Pakistani town of Abbottabad, views from above could be turned into a detailed map of the premises, most likely with the help of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. The map was so detailed that the operation's planners could build a mockup of the compound for rehearsals.
"The outer features of the compound were studied intensively," John Brennan, the White House's deputy national security adviser for homeland security and counterterrorism, told journalists today.
The Pentagon can draw upon a constellation of military satellites for imagery in a variety of wavelengths, but it also picks up pictures from commercial satellite companies such as GeoEye and DigitalGlobe — the same companies that provide mapping data for websites such as Google Earth. A series of satellite pictures can be used to trace the history of the building site from an empty lot in 2001, to a newly built mansion in 2005, to an even more built-out neighborhood this January. Here's that latest image from DigitalGlobe:
DigitalGlobe via Space.com
An image from DigitalGlobe highlights Osama bin Laden's compound as it appeared on Jan. 15.
Tracking down the precise location of bin Laden's base on satellite imagery occupied the attention of geo-geeks for hours, until the CIA provided the solution to the puzzle. Postings on Ogle Earth and the Google Earth blog trace every step of the hunt. This diagram from the CIA helps you identify the compound on the images above:
CIA
A diagram from the CIA shows the layout of Osama bin Laden's compound in detail.
Once the decision was made to go ahead with the raid, another set of satellites came into play: A space-based military satellite system that provides a secure communication channel between the warfighters in the field and the experts directing the operation from far off. Even President Barack Obama could monitor the action in real time from the White House Situation Room, just as CIA Director Leon Panetta could from the spy agency's headquarters.
Pete Souza / White House
President Barack Obama and other top U.S. government officials receive an update on the mission against Osama bin Laden in the White House Situation Room on Sunday.
The main satellite constellations involved here are the Defense Satellite Communications System, or DSCS-III and the Milstar system. Milstar is of more recent vintage and has more capability for secure communications, but it doesn't offer as much signal bandwidth as DSCS-III. The satellite system links up with communication terminals that are installed at bases on the ground, place on ships stationed offshore, or even carried around by the helicopter raiders. The Navy SEALs who took on the "get Osama" mission typically wear helmet-cams that can send a stream of encrypted video halfway around the world.
These high-tech surveillance and communication tools ultimately provided the U.S. military with a high-tech edge over Osama bin Laden and his supporters, who had to go low-tech to avoid detection. And ironically, it was that very low-techiness that tipped off the CIA: The fact that a million-dollar mansion had no phone lines or Internet links led analysts to suspect that they had the right target in their sights.
More on technology and bin Laden's death:
- DNA, face analysis confirms it was bin Laden
- How the US tracked couriers to bin Laden
- The secret team that killed Osama bin Laden
- Bin Laden's death unites Internet town square
- 'I'm the guy who liveblogged the Osama raid'
Correction for 7:25 p.m. ET: After the initial posting of this item, I added in the factoid about helmet-cams, but in my haste I typed "get Obama" rather than "get Osama" ... which is too bad, because I had double-checked the original item to try to avoid just that sort of mistake. Sorry about the error, and thanks to all those who pointed it out in the comment section below. To make it up to the Navy SEALs, here's a video from NBC News' George Lewis.
You can join the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's Facebook page or following @b0yle on Twitter. You can also check out "The Case for Pluto," my book about the controversial dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Leave a Comment:
Excuse me the mission was "get Obama" or "get Osama"?
I hope that was a confusion of rhyming names on their part.
Buried at sea. Think I'll go find some pork products and celebrate, then toss the leftovers into the ocean and imagine the two mixing together somewhere, eventually... I know, petty, but cathartic none the less.
Urk, sorry about that, thanks for calling that to my attention! :-(
Obama got Osama!
We can thank our Lucky stars we have a President with the courage and guts to order the special OP's in Pakistan!
You must be absolutely crazy if you think Obama got Osama. OBAMA did NOT kill Bin Laden. An American Soldier, who Obama just a few weeks ago was debating on whether or not to PAY, did. Obama just happened to be the one in office when our Soldiers finally found OBL and took him out This is NOT an Obama victory, but an… AMERICAN victory
You are so correct. Think about this: we have a President who is intentionally hyping yet a third gruesome "head shot". First there was the Somali pirate, then Arizona, now bin Laden. In each instance, the President could have distanced, but clearly his free choice was to fully embrace, even sensationalize. Now look up the word HORRIBLE in common dictionary, and see if it does not fit perfectly to Soetoro/Obama. Why do the American people see something pretty about another person getting shot through the head? I wonder how those millions of unemployed see the matter---a President establishing a horrible record.
You meant "get Osama"? I hope.
Absolutely, sorry about the error, thanks for calling it to my attention.
I think they're trying to emulate Fox News with their Obama-Osama errors.
Nah cause they don't have announcers saying that the president just announced that the president is dead, or having that banner carried on multiple stations. Although I am sure Alan will check up on this here shortly and make the correction, and appologize for the error as appropriate.
You're quite right, Eric!
I would love to see that real time video they were watching in the situation room..can see the reaction on Hillary's face what they saw was unreal to them being live.
MISSION ACCOMPLISHED. Good riddance to bad rubbish, rot in hell you rat ba--ard. I hope they covered his carcass in pig's blood and smacked his smug face with the bottom of their shoes.
The very best of Big Federal Government. It takes all: Military, Civil Service and private industry that keeps most of their jobs in the U.S. to make Secret things that other countries don't steal by OUTSOURCING MANUFACTURING JOBS. We need more Civil Service jobs. That's one thing that was good that President Reagan did is made a very strong Department of Defense. I was working for the Air Force in Civil Service and worked on many F-111 and A-10 air craft which I'm sure much of my work was Secret because we had to have a secret clearance to work there. Now many in the Tea Party had rather close down much of what Reagan and the Presidents before him believed in. A strong Civil Service that could re-build Air Craft Carriers and some ships and repair all military Army, Air Force and Navy equipment with a good inspection system to meet military requirements. All those jobs created many off base jobs around all the military bases in the United States. We should not cut U.S. jobs. Cut the outsourced overseas jobs and bring some of them back to the U.S. which will create many more jobs.
?The Navy SEALs who took on the "get Obama" mission?
Really?
Ugh, I'm fixing that. I was afraid I'd do that at least once...
We could only hope!
With all our tech savvy and brains and skills, we still can't solve the war on drugs (joke) educate our kids, feed the poor or provide medical care but piss off the right people and we will find you and kill you. Still I'm glad to see him go the way he did and not rotting in a cell of natural causes before a trial that never happened. Good riddance you POS.
The text reads, " The Navy SEALs who took on the 'get Obama' mission typically wear helmet-cams ..." Is that a typo? Was the mission really called "get Obama," or was it "get Osama"?
Updated: I'm sorry. I see that others have already asked this question. These comments were not displayed went I wrote mine. Sorry for being repetitive.
Yup, that was a last-minute addition that I made without giving it a second check. Sorry about that!
Do You think the X-37A and X-37B were used to gather intel on Osama Bin Laden location?
No, Micky, I don't think that project is quite that far along. Interesting suggestion, though.
The X-37B launched April 2010 lands December 2010. Increase of successful drone strikes during its time in space. Goes back up and still up. It is designed to carry a myriad of payloads. It has been under Defense Department control since 2004. They aren't using it for science.
Give him a break, I have made tha same mistake a dozen times today, and I am not saying we need to kill the president. Obama's name has been in the news a ton lately, Osama has not been in the news, so the names get said/typed wrong.
I think it's worth being repetitive. Hard, really hard to understand how such an egregious typo could be left to stand for over 2 hours.
Actually, that sentence was added an hour after the initial post went up ... but clearly too quickly and with not enough thought.
We can "Get Osama" but proof-reading (with your eyes, not the software) is elusive.
OBVIOUSLY a typo...
Yup, sorry about that!
It's a good article Alan, don't worry about all typo hounds. Typos happen, especially in this circumstance.
Anyway, glad they found him, glad they finished it. Too bad this isn't the end of the "war on terror".
*Now* maybe it's a good article. That's a particularly bad typo, so I'm glad so many folks are trying to get my attention. Thanks for the good word, Mob
What goes around, comes around. Unfortunately the one doesn't make up or bring back the thousands.
One less who covets our freedom.
Bathed in pig blood is how I hoped he went.
Brett, who do you think you are. I take it you have never made a mistake before? You find it "Hard, really hard to understand" how a typo like that could be made? How about this, he's just wrote a very good article probably under the pressure of time, while researching and working on other projects. The article being full off the words Osama and Obama a mistake that a spellcheck will not see and when proof reading look almost exactly the same, and since he wrote it, his brain was probably reading what it should have said instead of what it did say.
If your so perfect how come you didn't catch Osama?
You noticed the mistake an clearly knew it was a mistake so there was no need to be so cheeky about it. You could have simply pointed it out. I imagine your one of these people that go around point out all the mistakes in other peoples work because your useless at everything yourself.....
Hi Alan thanks for joining the conversation! Not often we get to talk to the writer ;) keep up the good work.
Documentary - "War Promises" reveals that millions of people believe that evidence proves that Western intelligence services organised the hideous attacks on New York and Washington on 11 September 2001. Even the mainstream media have stopped defending the official version, and now prefer to ignore the issue altogether. Distrust in Western governments grows as the wars of aggression waged by the U.S.A. and NATO continue to be justified with these “false flag” operations. Ever harsher domestic laws are being passed to crush all outrage and resistance in Western populations; at the end of the day they aim to unleash the German military on German civilians, instead of allowing morality and ethics to flow into day-by-day policy-making. That morality and ethics long ago stopped playing a part in political decision-making is shown by the use of internationally outlawed weapons in all the wars NATO has started.
To watch please visit -
and this is why I do not mind paying my taxes....to have such well trained warriors protecting our freedom is well worth the investment.
The best thing of the entire SEAL and Special Ops forces legacy is that they never get the spot light but continue to serve with pride and valor beyond any level of excellent that we citizens could ever understand.
THANK YOU ARMED FORCES!!!!
As an aside ; To all people who are complaining about the money spent (spook above just one). First off, our military budget is set and spent anyway, at least it(we) does the world good. Second, said money provides our uniformed personnel paychecks!! Thirdly, contractors make the items used by our military, thus providing more paychecks!! And finally, if the military didn't spend it, it would probably be spent on some bleeding heart social program, teaching america's youth to depend on hand-outs, and NOT to grow some B*LLS and take reponsibility for themselves...(which is something the military DOES teach)
If you want to see where this technology is heading to, checkout these two very good movies:
1. Enemy of the State ... with Gene Hackman and Will Smith
2. Bourne Ultimatum ... with Matt Damon
You forgot "Eagle Eye"
Both excellent movies. I hope the media highlights how important our satellites are.
Spook : Haters will always come after the U S A whether we get Osama or not. A strong message has been sent though: you mess with us and we'll track you down, at all cost. Good job C-in-C; good job to all the Military and Intel. personnel involved. War on terror continues in full strength. God Bless America!!!
Hmmm. We have heard many times when things went wrong that it was Bush's fault. Is this succuessful mission Bushe's fault too, or does that only apply to failed actions?