Another big data update over at Virtual Earth, over 20 TB, including Microsoft UltraCam images of Iowa City in drier times:

(a more recent picture from the Des Moines Register, below)…

…and other non-Ultra-cam imagery of lots of areas of France, some parts of Scotland and Wales, and Beijing, among others:

Also just introduced is a new program, GoVE:

We're just starting a new program called "GoVE" which enables municipalities, state and local governments, aerial photographers, carrier pigeons, whoever, to share your imagery with Microsoft for publishing onto Virtual Earth the platform that powers thousands of enterprise applications, not to mention our own Live Search Maps.

Now your imagery can be part of the Virtual Earth we're creating. Join in the world changing event that is Microsoft Virtual Earth.

…

GoVE supports the data sharing goals of many public sector organizations by providing a free publishing service. Through GoVE, your taxpayer-funded information will be provided on a free, open access web site that benefits taxpayers, government officials, your corporate tax base, state and local governments, etc.

Things like tourism, transportation, utilities, energy, emergency preparedness, natural resources management, and economic development can be assisted through the broad scale distribution of public data.

More on Chris Pendleton’s Virtual Earth blog