Part 2/12:

Akash began by illustrating the significance of satellite imagery in daily life, such as navigation via Google Maps or Google Earth. These images, primarily from providers like Maxar or Airbus, serve as the backbone for critical applications including climate monitoring, disaster management, natural resource management, forestry, and national security.

He underscored how satellite images are dynamically captured, with the freshest images typically updated every few years for urban areas and less frequently for remote landscapes like the Thar Desert. This imagery allows us to monitor climate change, track wildfires (like those in the US West), and observe environmental degradation—such as the drying of lakes around Bangalore over decades.