Microsoft Research Maps (MSR Maps) was a free online repository of public domain aerial imagery and topographic maps provided by the United States Geological Survey (USGS). The site was a collaboration between Microsoft Research (MSR), Bing Maps, and the USGS. It was in operation from June 1998 to March 2016. It had 30,000 to 50,000 visitors per day as of January 2010. The site was renamed in 2010, prior to which it had been known as TerraServer-USA[1] (formerly Microsoft TerraServer).
The site had black and white USGS aerial photographs of approximately 97% of the United States. In 2000, the USGS launched the new Urban Areas program, which will ultimately take high-resolution color aerial photographs of about 100 major American cities.[2][3] MSR Maps had Urban Areas data for 40 cities.[citation needed]
Microsoft had announced that the MSR Maps web site was going to permanently close on May 1, 2012,[4] but later changed that decision based on requests from users of the site.[5] As of March 2016 the site is no longer available.
- ^ New Web Site Name Archived 2010-02-09 at the Wayback Machine. Microsoft Research Maps. January 30, 2010.
- ^ "USGS/EROS High Resolution Orthoimagery". Archived from the original on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2010-01-05.
- ^ List of Areas with USGS High Resolution Orthoimagery Archived 2010-01-18 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Microsoft Research Maps Web Site Shutting Down May 1, 2012". Microsoft. 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-09-29. Retrieved 2013-06-05.
- ^ "MSR Maps will remain online". TopoFusion. June 18, 2012. Archived from the original on 2013-03-15. Retrieved 2013-06-05.