For Sale: Soviet Satellite Photos of the Pentagon

A Soviet satellite picture showing the White House, the Capitol and the Pentagon was used Thursday in Pasadena to advertise once-classified photos the Russians want to sell to American scientists and oil companies.

“You can even determine the number of cars parking near Pentagon building,” said a sign touting the photographic capabilities of the satellites, which were operated by the Soviet Union before its collapse and now are run by Russia.

The detailed satellite photograph of the Washington area was displayed as three officials from Russian and Belarussian government agencies tried to drum up business at a scientific conference at the Pasadena Convention Center.

“Russian satellite images of the highest resolution, previously classified, are now available for selling,” said the sign at their exhibit booth.

They hope to sell the satellite photos to geologists, urban planners and engineers who need them for their research or for planning facilities such as pipeline routes, said Boris N. Mozhaev, general director of Aerogeologia, the Russian agency distributing the pictures.