A new Canadian radar satellite sees too much, too clearly, according to NASA, the American space agency. NASA is refusing to send the Radarsat-2 satellite into the sky.

The United States government says the Canadian satellite provides images that are too revealing for national security. The Radarsat-2 can see objects as small as three metres through clouds and darkness.

"Anything below five metres causes concern to the U.S. intelligence community," said Hugues Gilbert, director of strategic development for the Canadian Space Agency. "But we think that having the three-metre resolution is really crucial to Canadian industry."

The ability of this "eye in the sky" to see such detail would give Canada a competitive edge over the U.S. in the business of earth resources imagery. These satellites can help farmers forecast crop yields, keep track of ice conditions in the Arctic ocean and help mining companies look for mineral resources.

The Radarsat-2 satellite is owned and operated by Macdonald Dettwiler of Richmond, British Columbia, near Vancouver. It cost 300 million dollars. The government of Canada paid for three-quarters of that cost.

The government may pay another space agency to launch the satellite.

2. Who is refusing to send the Radarsat-2 satellite into the sky?