More Democratic Access with 'Bhuvan'?

As we all know, Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft provide different kinds of location content to consumers and technical folks alike through mapping services, allowing a bit more "democratic" access to location-based content.

But I suppose the Google, Yahoo and Microsoft approach is to own as much data as money can buy. However, another approach is to facilitate the viewing and sharing of any location content available in the new Internet democracy, wherever (or whoever) it comes from.

In a new development in this arena - ISRO in India is planning to launch 'Bhuvan' in early 2009.

'Bhuvan' means 'Earth' and is supposed to be the equivalent to Google Earth, but designed to be be much more precise and powered by India's next-gen satellites.

Making the announcment at the 28th International Congress on Collaborative Mapping and Space Technology of the Indian National Cartographic Association (INCA) at Gandhinagar, ISRO chairman Dr G Madhavan Nair said: "Bhuvan will use the data recorded by the Indian satellites only."

The prototype of Bhuvan is scheduled to be ready this month and ISRO is hoping to launch the service by March 2009.

- Jeff