Is there any way to include Google Earth imagery within an OpenGL program?

Question

I'm building a program that uses weather simulation using OpenGL. I want to include Google Earth imagery with zoom and pan. Is this possible? Or can it be done the other way round, including OpenGL graphics inside Google Earth? Thanks!

Answer 1

It's not possible with Google Earth, and even if you find a way to download the data from their servers, you probably violate the usage agreements. However, you can use the Nasa World Wind SDK to embed a similar technology in your simulation. It's open source, so even if your OpenGL code is not compatible, you can always use their streaming and preprocessing methods.

Answer 2

If you can tolerate lower resolution imagery of Earth, there's NASA's Blue Marble (free). It's airbrushed, pristine land imagery (no clouds). Google's Earth imagery has all kinds of blemishes, but lets you zoom in much farther. NASA's imagery, you find in long-shots of Earth in sci-fi movies.