From 250 miles above Earth, an ultra-high-definition video camera named Iris is quietly recording breathtakingly detailed images of our planet.
But this isn’t just a tool for scenic landscapes—it has the power to capture capital cities of secretive nations, military installations, and even individuals walking the streets.
Launched in 2013 by the Canadian company UrtheCast, the camera didn’t become fully operational until Russian cosmonauts installed it onto the International Space Station (ISS) in 2014.
Since then, Iris has been providing a level of real-time surveillance that was once reserved for military-grade satellites.
How Powerful is Iris?
Iris records at a resolution of about one meter per pixel.
That might not sound like much, but it’s sharp enough to reveal the shadow of a person turning a corner or the shimmer of sunlight bouncing off buildings.
Wherever the ISS flies, Iris follows, capturing continuous, real-time imagery of Earth below.
On May 30, 2016, the camera recorded 4K footage of Pyongyang, North Korea—a city rarely seen in such high detail.
When UrtheCast released the footage later that year, it revealed a stunning, dynamic view of a place often shrouded in secrecy.
Here’s what they saw:
- The Kumsusan Palace of the Sun, the final resting place of North Korea’s leaders.
- The bright glint of sunlight reflecting off roads and structures.
- Even the shadow of a person walking within the palace grounds.
This level of observation raises important questions—not just about technology’s capabilities, but about who is watching and why.
More Powerful Than You Think
While Iris is impressive, it’s nowhere near the sharpest eye in the sky. Government spy satellites can zoom in close enough to read a newspaper over someone’s shoulder.
You might assume only government agencies have access to such surveillance, but here’s the twist: private companies are now lobbying to sell ultra-detailed satellite images to anyone willing to pay.
Until now, the US government has placed limits on the resolution of images that companies like Maxar Technologies and Planet Labs can sell commercially.
But this restriction is loosening, and soon, anyone—from businesses to journalists to foreign governments—could buy images of nearly anything on Earth in astonishing detail.
The Future of Space-Based Surveillance
With the rise of high-resolution satellite imagery and AI-driven data analysis, we are moving toward a world where real-time tracking is no longer the domain of spy agencies alone.
Whether for urban planning, disaster response, or geopolitical monitoring, these tools are reshaping our view of the planet.
But there’s a darker side. What happens when this technology falls into the wrong hands? When any company, government, or individual can track movements, view private properties, or even pinpoint the location of individuals?
The next few years will determine how much of our world—and our privacy—remains hidden from space.
