Unseen Extremes mapping the world's greatest mountains

Mountains marks a new milestone in Earth observation and Alpine exploration. For the first time, a special recording process and a technique developed at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) allow the satellite recording of three-dimensional views from 300 miles above with a resolution in the range of a few meters. Photorealistic images are created in this manner from perspectives denied even to mountaineers and helicopter pilots.In addition to highly accurate detailed models of individual regions, the DLR generates a global three-dimensional elevation model of Earth in unprecedented quality. For this purpose, two German satellites are currently circling the earth at a speed of more than 15,000 miles per hour--separated by a mere 500 feet. Taken together, both techniques offer a detailed view of a world that still pushes human beings to their limits--the mountainous regions of our planet. For this book Reinhold Messner has selected thirteen peaks and routes to feature, as they've never been seen before.