Google Earth satellites would not map Nevada military base

SipaPhoto
| Shutterstock.com

• Google Earth did not update its satellite image of
  an experimental military base in southwestern Nevada
  for eight years, according to a report from
  Motherboard. 
• The eight-year gap of images of the Tonopah Test Range is the
  longest period a stretch of the continental US has gone without
  an update. 
• Google would not respond to Motherboard’s inquiries about why
  the “Tonopah Gap” exists. 
• Questions about the gap remain, including whether Google
  was working directly with the US government to restrict these
  images from its site. 

A
Motherboard report on Thursday revealed that for eight years,
Google Earth did not update its satellite image of a military
site where experimental weapons were tested in southwestern
Nevada — and the company has not answered as to why that
is. 

The area in question is a series of dry lake beds in the Tonopah
Test Range where extensive military weapons testing has
reportedly taken place. Between 2008 and 2016, Google did not
update the satellite imagery of this area, which is the longest
period a stretch of the continental US has gone without an
update, according to Motherboard.

Updates, according to a
Google Earth blog, typically take place every 30 days. 

Motherboard was able to purchase a satellite image of the dry
lake beds in Tonopah that was taken in January 2013 (which
falls almost halfway between the eight-year time gap). The
publication planned to sell the image to Google for $1, to see if
the company would then add it into its records. If Google
refused, Motherboard reasoned, perhaps that would indicate
government censorship was at play at that time for this
particular area in Nevada. 

However, Motherboard later learned that it had only legally
“leased” the image and could not sell it to Google. Instead, it
will be showing off the image in Brooklyn at
an event on Thursday night. 

Google never responded to Motherboard’s question about why the
“Tonopah Gap” exists. 

Major questions involving this story remain, including:

• Why did satellite images of the Tonopah Test Range not exist
  for eight years?
• There are other weapons testing facilities around the US
  that have never gone that long without an update. What
  makes Tonopah different? 
• Was Google working directly with the US government restrict
  these images from its site? And if so, why? 

Google did not immediately return Business Insider’s
request for comment.

Get the latest Google stock price here.