What the heck?!?
 

Ok, I've studied pics of the ranges around Tonopah, the daisy fields in Idaho, etc. I can identify everything in them. I understand many of the nuances of interpreting satellite photogaphy.

What the heck is this? It is in a Chinese desert.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2011/...64_964x463.jpg

SOURCE

Surely it's a project to promote happiness and a harmonious society, and the glorious Chinese culture.

What, you doubt the Chinese government?

Do they pre plan cities like the old Soviet Union used to do?

Maybe it is some kind of industrial city. It don't look particularly military.

But what the hell do I know?:O:

While there are plenty of ghost cities in China, these lines are in about 100 feet wide, give or take a bit. Too wide for simple streets.

Most US cities are based on grid patterns, not as freeform as these, though European cities are not out of the question.

Yeah. The "streets" are mighty wide now that you say it.

That is odd, and a good find.

Here you can look for yourself;

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.452...h&vpsrc=6&z=19

http://maps.google.de/maps?q=44+42%2...src=6&t=h&z=12

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.458...src=6&t=h&z=18

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.488...src=6&t=h&z=14

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.452...h&vpsrc=6&z=14



And the answer is: http://www.geek.com/articles/geek-ce...lved-20111115/

Great find.

It makes sense, considering using sparsely populated areas for explosives/ordinance practice is commonplace for most nations with the space to spare.

But do you really need grids of that size, just seems excessively large in my humble opinon.

Rookie pilot training ??

Meh, I never thought of planes. Very right!

Good job Betonov!:)

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=40.452...h&vpsrc=6&z=14

That one looks faked as you can see lettering showing in two places.

Sure it isn't just the watermark? :88)

I read this yesterday one poster commenting on the 3 images was this:

quote:
These aren't mysterious. The first image is a tank/urban training area. The US, Britain France all have these. It is to train artillery and tanks etc how to manoeuvre in tight urban settings without running over people and wrecking hardware. .
The second image is an ballistics damage range. Note the objects in concentric rings around the middle. You would detonate an explosive in the middle and assess how much damage objects absorbed at different distances with different payloads. note: the old Migs are placed at differing angles quite close.
The last one just looks like a regular testing range--the sort you see around the world.


http://www.stuff.co.nz/technology/di...ongues-wagging

^That seems to be the most sensible explaination for it. :yep:

First I've noticed watermarks but I so rarely use the improved and annoying google earth. I wish it was as first deployed.