GeoEye has formed the GeoEye Foundation to promote teaching of geospatial information technologies, humanitarian and environmental/climate change research, and innovation and growth of the next-generation of geospatial technology professionals, the company announced March 28.

GeoEye will make its satellite imagery archive available to support targeted research or environmental projects. Requests for imagery from educational institutions and non-governmental organizations will be reviewed by the Employee Advisory Committee. It is anticipated that most awards will consist of a few hundred square kilometers, and will be made on a case-by-case basis.

Projects already underway include providing satellite imagery to support students and faculty studying urban sprawl in Mexico, land-use planning for Jerusalem, and a polar ice study in Antarctica.