A commercial satellite-imagery company said Tuesday it is rerouting one of its satellites to fly over the Oregon wilderness where rescue crews search for CNET editor James Kim.
GeoEye’s Ikonos satellite will fly over the Western seaboard at about 10:30 a.m. PT Wednesday at a distance from the Earth of about 423 miles, said Mark Bender, a spokesman for the Dulles, Va.-based GeoEye. The satellite could record images of an area as large as 2,000 square kilometers.
The cameras on the Ikonos boast a very high resolution, able to get a bead on objects 39 inches wide.
“We can’t see through clouds,” he said. “If it’s cloudy, we wouldn’t be able to get back for three days.”
Bender declined to state what the cost was to the company to “retask” a satellite.
“We’re doing it because it’s the right thing to do,” he said.
I know I join everyone who reads this in continued prayer for the safe return of Mr. Kim.
Given what he does for a living, I know he would appreciate the retasking of the satellite. When technology is used for noble purposes, it inspires us all.
On a sad note, they found his overpants:
I’m sure everyone’s inner-cynic (mine included) is telling them that this gets them some great publicity, but this goes some way towards restoring faith in corporate goodwill. Kudos.
I’m sure that thousands of volunteers could scan the hi-res images.
This can turn into a worldwide thing.
I was just going to ask that. Do they need help looking over the pictures?
Do they move mountains like this for the average schmo, or is it simply because he is a minor celebrity?
#6 – I didn’t realize a technology news editor/reporter qualified as a celebrity. Not calling Mr. Kim an “average schmo,” but still…
I wanna become a tech reporter/editor. Maybe I’d get some respect for a change.
Seriously, I hope all these efforts help find him, but if he’s in a cave, as someone on CNET suspects (and is where I would be), no satellite will find him.
RE: #2
Word is that these were a second pair of pants that he had with him, and not the jeans he was wearing when he left. So they are thinking they were left as a kind of marker to let people know where he was headed.
Ummm,
I have a problem here.
This person had some experience with Winter and wilderness travel?
why didnt he stay on the main road back, or forward to the nearest town?? Or house even?
Going cross country in the winter, threw the snow, trees, wilderness could get him Lost or eaten. the road is somewhat level, and is generally being traveled, including by police and maintenance crews.
This is also part of the hunting season in that Area, i think. and not a nice place to be without proper clothing.
As to Geoeye…”I cant see the trees fore the forest” mean anything to anyone??
sorry to be a wet Blanket…But this isnt a person thinking about being found. he may be trying to help his family, but he certainly isnt thinking properly. he was about
#6 – the fact they’re doing this now make it easier to do it again when it’s needed for someone else. That would be a good thing.
6. They move mountains (maybe not satellites) for average schmoes.
In fact I would ask, why haven’t they found him yet? – though that would be a useless second-guessing of those on the ground. Presumably they are doing a “sprint” to follow his trail. And tracking through the night. Anybody know the snow and temperature situation? Are they in fact following a snow trail?? I’m sure tracking dogs must be involved.
I’m real glad to hear these were a second pair of pants that were found. People are known to shed clothes in the final stages of hypothermia.
C’mon James, you can do it.
RBG
Do a google news search for “james kim” and sort by date.
The weather there is terrific for being lost…mid 50’s. Snow in the shadows, but the ‘copter shots don’t show much snow on the flats. If he made it through the cold weather he’ll be fine…if he makes himself conspicuous enough.
10. If the family was forced to eat unknown berries – as I read – then all of them were probably in a very, very low blood sugar situation – not great for clear thinking. For James to leave like that was a sign of real desperation and heroism.
RBG
13. I’m embarrassed to ask… How do you sort a Google search by date?? I checked out the Google Advanced Search very carefully (I thought). Ditto M$ Explorer.
RBG
OK, I’m with everyone hoping Kim is found alive and well.
Now, it would be more sensible to remain near the car, it always is. Everyone of us has seen this advice over and over. It may seem wilderness when you’re stranded, but it’s close to civilization when you have a helicopter, and anyway a car is easier to spot from the sky.
And also, while I appreciate what’s being done to find him, why isn’t it done every time somebody gets lost? Our society, as a community, should make the same effort for any of us who finds him/herself in trouble, no matter who he/she is… It’s kind of depressing that these sort of efforts are only made when there’s buzz and publicity around… Yup, it’s the right thing to do, but it’s wrong not to do it to the average schmoe…
I hope they find him alive and well.
This goes a long way to explaining things. I think it is good news because it shows Kim to be putting the “boots” to his own progress; that he has maps and that, somehow, the searchers are just unable to catch up to him. Amazing.
RBG
“”The goal this morning is to get in front of Mr. Kim and make contact with him,” Anderson said.
Authorities said they were dropping 18 care packages in the area, which each will include clothing, a wool blanket, gloves, waterproof overalls, flares, a flashlight, a hand-warmer and rations. Each package also has a letter from Kim’s family, authorities said.
About 100 searchers have fanned out in the area. Two available helicopters have not yet been launched because there is heavy fog in the area, but Jackson County Sheriff Mike Winters said he hopes they will be airborne by around noon.
Dogs are not being used, because they are not helpful on the steep and rocky terrain in the canyon, authorities said.”
http://tinyurl.com/y33gna
16. I’ll say it again. Of course these kinds of efforts are made for all lost people. Each jurisdiction will have an in-place fully-trained SAR team that knows their specific area and have resources at their disposal such as helicopters. You can have only so many people simultaneously tracking the signs left behind by the hiker. Plus you don’t want untrained civilians obliterating tracks and confusing the picture even more with their own. I’ve read that the SAR team has specifically turned down outside search help.
RBG
15…do the google news search. You can choose by date or relevance. Here’s my search:
http://tinyurl.com/yk7kmz
Possible bad news….damn. =-(
I read #2 link…
He took a back road to get to the coast, after missing his turn off, by 200 miles.?? Looks like he was headed towards Gold beach. but 10 miles ahead was a main route to the coast, outside of Grants pass.
That isnt logical. This is NOT great terrain if you dont know the area. you dont wonder the backroads unless you have a Good truck or jeep.
I also dont see a reason his car died on him.
IMO, something is abit fishy. He had some knowledge of wilderness, and KNOWS that you stick to the road, If you wish to be seen/found. If this was a USED road, and wild area…where were the Forestry, and state police?? Burning tires SHOULD have brought people running.
MERLIN, Ore. — Airborne rescuers spotted a flash in a heavily wooded area and then caught a glimpse of a man laying face down they believe may be missing San Francisco resident James Kim in the Oregon wilderness Wednesday.
Searchers were being lowered from the helicopter to assist the man.
There was no immediate word on his condition.
MERLIN, Ore. — Airborne rescuers spotted a flash in a heavily wooded area Wednesday and then caught a glimpse of the body of James Kim laying face down and lifeless.
Searchers were lowered from the helicopter and recovered the body.
http://www.ktvu.com/news/10436601/detail.html
99% of the population of San Francisco would have no clue what to do if suddenly stuck in the wilderness. A sad fact. No schools teach “survival techniques”, few people have even the most basic clue of how to think logically when in a dangerous, trying situation. In fact, I find people don’t even pack blankets and extra warm clothing, and waterproof gloves when they travel!! Not everyone owns chains for their vehicle (and many people wouldn’t know how to put them on if needed). People just go on these road trips…thinking “la la la, everything is just wonderful” when….the reality is…. it doesn’t take much to get stranded in the snow. That ice and snow are hard as hell to drive over without extra traction…like chains. (although, you CAN let air out of the tires to get more traction, as one option to deal with it.)
I’d wonder if the family even had the right oil in the car, and real antifreeze (not watered down) in the engine.
The rules for winter driving: alway keep a full tank of gas, have chains, carry a bag of kitty litter, waterproof gloves, heavy coats, HATS wool blankets, a first aid kit, flares, and …when traveling with kids, especially, pack food! (Dried fruit, crackers, nuts, jerky, etc.) Ask about routes…when in doubt, and always tell someone of your travel plans, and when they should expect you to return. Remember, cell phones don’t work everywhere!!!! Call before you get stranded, as the likelyhood that you’ll find service when you are…is often nil.
Then, if you do become stranded, stay in your car!! Stay together. Keep clearing off the roof of the car so that it’ more visible…and put something brightly colored on the roof of a white car. Keep the tailpipe clear of snow, if you have gas to run the engine. Staying in the car is always the best idea anyway…as it will show very clearly from a passing helicopter looking for heat.
Put some markings in a nearby flat open area….like spelling HELP.
Don’t venture out alone. Wolves and mountain lions don’t hibernate. A single human is pretty easy prey, but two, are more of a problem.
Stay as DRY as you can, and huddle together to conserve body warmth. Learn the signs of frostbite, and how to treat it.
Wait. Wait. Wait. The longer it takes, the larger the search effort. If you didn’t tell anyone more than a vague destination…and there are several routes, it will take that much longer, as the first routes searched will be the “most likely”. This does chew up time…and man hours, and it’s frustrating for everyone involved. (Which again, is why telling someone of your plans and exact route will always make it easier to find you.)
I feel for the searchers as it is heartbreaking to put time and energy, and your heart into finding someone….(you start relating to the lost party, and even start trying to “think like them”, you project things onto them…so that you start feeling a relationship to them).
So, please, think about all the wrong moves that Mr. Kim took….and learn from them. It’s not disrespectful to find fault. He was human, and acted human. Maybe a greater number of people can learn from this sad series of mistakes.
It really says something when a satellite is rerouted just to find you. I wonder if they would do the same if I got lost in Oregon? Things that make you go “Hmmmm”
I seem to be the only that thinks this a little over the top, considering that no-one, and I mean no-one ever seems to care about the small children and other people that get lost. I’ve never seen such resources used to find a lost family before, or this amount of money.
It would be nice if we treated all lost individuals with the same care and concern as we are treating this one:(
Meetsy–people should print out that list and stick it in the glove compartment of every car that belongs to everyone they know. Unless people make a point of seeking out survival information, it’s hard to know what to do when faced with the unthinkable.
Here’s a thought….maybe car companies could print basic survival info in the car’s manual. Although obviously you can’t find more gas, food, or blankets when you’re already in a survival situation, at least you’d know to do things like stay near the car, clear snow off of it and try to keep the tailpipe from freezing over. Maybe it’s a silly suggestion (who reads those manuals, anyway?) but it would be a pretty low cost way to get that information out to more people.
Aren’t you guys going to complain about the loss of privacy from all these satellites?