In total, it took more than 2 million processing hours across thousands of machines in Google Cloud to weave 20 petabytes of satellite imagery into a single 4.4 terapixel-sized video mosaic. In order to add the animated Timelapse imagery to Google Earth, more than 20 million satellite images from 1984 to 2020 were gathered.

This new timelapse capability required a significant amount of time and involved ‘pixel crunching’ in Earth Engine, Google’s platform for geospatial analysis. The combination of high resolution, novel spectral capabilities, a swath width of 290 km and frequent revisit times provides unprecedented views of Earth, every five days at 10 m spatial resolution. The Copernicus Sentinel-2 high-resolution imaging mission, used predominantly for land monitoring, was key to improving Timelapse and its functionality.Ĭopernicus Sentinel-2 is a polar-orbiting mission based on a constellation of two identical satellites in the same orbit, 180° apart for optimal coverage and data delivery. The Sentinels are a fleet of dedicated EU-owned satellites, designed to deliver the wealth of data and imagery that are central to the European Union's Copernicus environmental programme. But what the operational fleet of European satellites allows us to do goes much further! We are analysing all aspects of changes on our planet – no matter whether natural or manmade – and their impact on the climate.” Maurice Borgeaud, Head of the Science, Applications & Climate Department at ESA Earth Observation Programmes, commented, “The use of Copernicus Sentinel data makes it possible for millions of people to explore changes on Earth.

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 high-resolution imaging mission was integral in the development of Google Earth's new Timelapse feature and the unique global view we are now bringing to people everywhere.'

Rebecca Moore, Director of Google Earth, said, 'This update was made possible thanks to open data provided by the European Union’s Copernicus programme, and its Sentinel satellites, as well as NASA and the US Geological Survey’s Landsat programme.

Google earth 360 photos