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usonian

(21,949 posts)
36. Satellite shows what's really happening at the East Wing of the White House
Fri Oct 24, 2025, 05:30 PM
Friday
https://arstechnica.com/space/2025/10/satellite-shows-whats-really-happening-at-the-east-wing-of-the-white-house/

This image taken Thursday from a SkySat Earth observation satellite shows that the East Wing of the White House is gone. Credit: Planet Labs PBC



Eyes always above
Without press access to see the demolition firsthand, it fell to a camera hundreds of miles above the White House to see what was really happening at the East Wing. Planet Labs released an image taken Thursday morning from one of its SkySat satellites showing the 123-year-old annex leveled.


What became known as the East Wing was first constructed in 1902 and was then rebuilt in 1942 during the Franklin Roosevelt administration to create more office space and provide cover for a bunker during World War II. In modern presidencies, the East Wing was typically home to the first lady’s staff.

Planet Labs, based in San Francisco, operates a fleet of hundreds of small Earth-imaging satellites mapping the planet every day. The company sells its imagery to commercial customers and the US government, including intelligence agencies, which use the imagery to augment the surveillance capabilities of more exquisite government-owned spy satellites.

...

The SkySat satellite used for Thursday’s examination of the White House flies at an altitude of approximately 295 miles (475 kilometers). It can capture imagery with a resolution of about 20 inches (50 centimeters) per pixel. Planet Labs owns 15 SkySats, each with three overlapping 5.5-megapixel imaging sensors fitted under a downward-facing 14-inch-diameter (35-centimeter) telescope, according to the company.

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Maybe he's carting it down to Mara Lago Raven123 Friday #1
Option 2 dweller Friday #2
Sadly, that seems to be true PatSeg Friday #5
I call him a petulant toddler, but he's also a vindictive dickhead. CaptainTruth Friday #28
100% vapor2 Friday #55
I'll buy the vindictive aspect.... MiHale Friday #3
Option B leftstreet Friday #4
Perhaps there is to be a second floor & underground parking included in the square footage. Bernardo de La Paz Friday #6
Square footage is calculated based on heated space only jmowreader Friday #9
They can't put underground parking under the East Wing. The presidential bunker is there. SunSeeker Friday #17
That's why he's not done... lame54 Friday #7
THIS orangecrush Saturday #57
A deep bunker for billionaires. thought crime Friday #8
Only good if there popsdenver Friday #30
There was a post here today where an actual Klarkashton Friday #10
Here it is - a very interesting analysis. TheRickles Friday #14
At 90,000 sf, its footprint would require more than two acres of land. Eyeballing allegorical oracle Friday #11
90K is likely a lie JCMach1 Friday #12
Of course. This coming from the guy... mwooldri Friday #25
💯 JCMach1 Friday #26
Also he wanted to claim that after 9/11, it was "the tallest building in lower Manhattan" viva la Friday #34
He has no idea how big the ballroom drmeow Friday #13
I'd go with dickhead. He's a vicious senile bastard who hates this country. NNadir Friday #15
Does anyone have a list of the east wing's furnishings? Half-step Friday #16
All White House furnishings and fixtures are inventoried, or at least they used to be. nt SunSeeker Friday #18
Last time he made off with boxes full of top secret classified documents, and got away with it. sop Friday #39
lol... they were throwing stuff out the windows a few weeks ago Arazi Friday #52
There will be a conditioned basement. And probably a 2nd floor in the non-ballroom space. maxsolomon Friday #19
The plans will be released in two weeks. madinmaryland Friday #21
Right after the plan to replace Obamacare, right? viva la Friday #35
Motel 47 will open soon. We'll shine the light in your face. Rooms by the hour, sheets changed weekly, maybe. twodogsbarking Friday #20
It's going to be a Trump Tower relayerbob Friday #22
Vindictive dickhead works for me. ananda Friday #23
3 levels is my guess. IbogaProject Friday #24
Asking why is a good start quakerboy Friday #27
I bet you're right. viva la Friday #37
To be fair, someone is funding it quakerboy Saturday #59
I saw a post that said he's building a new, larger state of the art underground bunker with all the Autumn Friday #29
Perhaps he's planning a nuclear war... RussBLib Friday #38
I wander if this all has to do with the bunker. Melon Friday #31
''...The logical place to put this Epstein ballroom would have been below-grade ...''. There, I fixed it. n/t aggiesal Friday #32
A lot of people are saying he will build a ballroom the likes of which the world has never seen! nt Shermann Friday #33
Satellite shows what's really happening at the East Wing of the White House usonian Friday #36
"Take that, Melania!" viva la Friday #43
He's a psychopath. The fact is... littlemissmartypants Friday #40
Sounds like someone we all (to our sorrow) have to see on the news every day. viva la Friday #45
Wikipedia has a site map supposedly based on a model shown this month William Seger Friday #41
The Republicans got their panties in a bunch doc03 Friday #42
Yep dweller Friday #44
I loathe the whole idea, but the north side yorkster Friday #46
This is what I found ... aggiesal Friday #47
I think #2, there was no reason to destroy the white house TommieMommy Friday #48
He's just a vindictive dickhead, and by now he hates every last American Hekate Friday #49
Money Laundering 101 SomedayKindaLove Friday #50
Several people have suggested that the ballroom is a ruse to expand the . . . peggysue2 Friday #51
Remember, he always exaggerates square footage. hedda_foil Friday #53
Perhaps he is building a new White House. Irish_Dem Friday #54
To make the WH smaller and only half the size of his ballroom Buttoneer Saturday #56
Going vertical with a trump hotel over the throne room? Ruby the Liberal Saturday #58
Yes evilhime Saturday #60
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