[konaice]

Why does New Scientist call this a Spy Satellite? Its just a terestrial surveyer. Spying is looking at stuff someone else does not want you to see.

Desk size resolution is not that great. You can bust up a lot of landers on sub-desk sized bolders.

[martin_fierro]

SHHH! THEY'LL HEAR YOU!

[demlosers]

Resolution is way better than desk size, say 25 cm:

"HiRISE

The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment or HiRISE camera will consist of a 0.5 metre reflecting telescope, the largest of any deep space mission, and has a resolution of 0.3 metre at a height of 300 km. It will image in three colour bands, blue-green, red and near infrared.

To facilitate the mapping of potential landing sites, HiRISE can produce stereo pairs of images from which the topography can be measured to an accuracy of 0.25 metre."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mars_Reconnaissance_Orbiter#HiRISE

[Lokibob]

Are you kidding? Desk sized resolution is great at 300 KM.