Welcome back, hacker novitiates! Satellites have become a crucial element in our modern economies. No modern military can operate effectively without up-to-date visual and signal intelligence. The good news is that we don’t need a security clearance or military service to access this data. It’s all openly available, and as OSINT practitioners, we should be […]

The post Open Source Intelligence: Free Satellite Services for Investigations first appeared on Hackers Arise.

Welcome back, hacker novitiates!

Satellites have become a crucial element in our modern economies. No modern military can operate effectively without up-to-date visual and signal intelligence.

The good news is that we don’t need a security clearance or military service to access this data. It’s all openly available, and as OSINT practitioners, we should be familiar with these resources.

In this article, I’d like to provide a brief comparison of the most popular free services for satellite OSINT.

Copernicus Data Space Ecosystem (EU)

The Copernicus program represents the gold standard for free satellite data. Sentinel-2’s 10-meter resolution in visible and near-infrared bands makes it great for monitoring infrastructure changes, agricultural patterns, and urban development. Its consistent 5-day revisit cycle enables reliable time-series analysis for detecting changes in areas of interest.

To get started, simply visit: browser.dataspace.copernicus.eu

Here, we can choose different configurations for monitoring, dates, and layers.

Technical Specifications:

• Resolution: 10 m multispectral, 60 m atmospheric bands (Sentinel-2)





• Revisit Time: 5 days globally with twin satellites





• Spectral Bands: 13 bands from visible to shortwave infrared





• Coverage: Global





• Data Latency: Near real-time up to 24 hours

Limitations:
Cloud cover can limit usability in certain regions and seasons. While the 10‑meter resolution is excellent for free data, it may not capture smaller objects or the fine details required for some OSINT investigations.

NASA Earth Observation Systems

NASA’s constellation provides the longest historical record of Earth observation data, making it invaluable for long-term change detection and historical analysis.

To get started, you can use the following resources:

• NASA Worldview





• USGS EarthExplorer





• Google Earth Engine





• Various NASA data portals

The thermal infrared capabilities of instruments like TIRS on Landsat enable detection of heat signatures, useful for industrial monitoring and fire detection.

Technical Specifications:

• Resolution: Variable (15 m–1 km, depending on the instrument)





• Key Satellites: Landsat 8/9, MODIS, VIIRS





• Spectral Range: Extensive, from visible to thermal infrared





• Temporal Coverage: Historical archives dating back to the 1970s

Limitations:
The 16-day revisit cycle of Landsat can limit real-time monitoring capabilities. Additionally, the user interfaces can be complex for non-technical users, requiring more expertise to effectively utilize the data.

Google Earth Platform

Google Earth excels in user accessibility and interface design, making it the most approachable platform for OSINT beginners. The historical imagery slider is particularly valuable for temporal analysis, allowing investigators to track changes over time at specific locations.

Access Methods:

• Google Earth Pro (desktop application)





• Google Earth web version





• Google Earth Engine (requires approval)

Technical Specifications:

• Resolution: Sub-meter to 15 m (varies by location and date)





• Data Sources: DigitalGlobe, Landsat, and various commercial providers





• Historical Imagery: Extensive archives in some areas





• Coverage: Global, with higher resolution in populated regions

Limitations:
Image acquisition dates can be inconsistent and unpredictable. The highest-resolution imagery is often outdated, and cloud-free images may not be available for all regions. Additionally, commercial data licensing restricts bulk downloading and programmatic access.

EOSDA LandViewer

LandViewer offers an intuitive interface with powerful analytical capabilities, including automatic calculation of vegetation indices, water detection, and change detection algorithms. The platform is particularly useful for environmental monitoring and agricultural analysis.

To get started, visit: https://eos.com/

Technical Specifications:

• Resolution: 10 m–30 m (free tier)





• Data Sources: Sentinel-2, Landsat, MODIS





• Processing: On-the-fly band combinations and indices





• Analytics: Built-in vegetation and water indices

Limitations:
The free tier restricts the number of downloads and access to high-resolution imagery. Advanced features require paid subscriptions, which can limit utility for resource-constrained OSINT operations.

Resolution and Image Quality

For OSINT applications, resolution directly impacts the level of detail available for analysis:

• Sentinel-2 (10 m): Suitable for building identification, road networks, large vehicles, and infrastructure monitoring





• Landsat (15–30 m): Effective for regional analysis, large-scale changes, and environmental monitoring





• High-resolution commercial (sub-meter): Available through Google Earth but with significant temporal limitations

Temporal Resolution and Coverage

The frequency of image acquisition affects the utility of each platform for monitoring dynamic situations:

• Copernicus Sentinel-2: 5-day global coverage provides the best balance of resolution and temporal frequency for free data





• Landsat 8/9: 16-day cycle with overlapping coverage improves effective revisit times in higher latitudes





• Commercial platforms: Variable and often unpredictable acquisition schedules

Summary

Effective OSINT operations increasingly require multi-platform approaches, combining the strengths of different systems to create comprehensive analytical capabilities. As these platforms evolve, OSINT practitioners should stay current with new features while maintaining awareness of each platform’s limitations and optimal use cases.

If you’re ready to join this fast-growing field, consider checking out our OSINT Training. With this package, you’ll gain everything you need to enter the burgeoning field of OSINT investigations.

The post Open Source Intelligence: Free Satellite Services for Investigations first appeared on Hackers Arise.

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