Security and Defence Implications of Earth Observation

In 1958 Lyndon B. Johnson, a future President of the United States, proclaimed that “control of space means control of the world”.
This contention represented a futuristic projection based on the experience gained by armies throughout the history of military strategy. Indeed, since ancient times, every army has sought to view the ground from above. What has changed over time are the developments in technology that enable this aerial surveillance.