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Satellite tracks progress on Olympic site from space

See how much London has done to get main site ready for 2012 Games

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By Alan Boyle Science editor
msnbc.com
updated 12/16/2011 1:29:19 PM ET 2011-12-16T18:29:19

What a difference two years can make, especially when you're getting ready for the world's biggest sporting event: This before-and-after slideshow features satellite imagery of London's Olympic Park, the central site for the 2012 Games.

We're presenting the scene as two separate pictures, showing the north and south side of Olympic Park. In each picture, the view on the left was captured by the GeoEye 1 satellite on Sept. 21, 2009, from a height of 425 miles (684 kilometers). The same satellite snapped a picture of the same place on Aug. 3, 2011, and that's what you see on the right side of the screen.

Move the slider at the bottom of the picture to the left or the right for a full comparison of the views, or use the "See Before" and "See After" to switch between the views.

The first image in the slideshow shows the northern end of the park: There's been a lot of work done on the International Broadcast Center, the structure with a light-colored roof on the left side of the screen. The Handball Arena is the smaller, squarish building to the south of the media center in the 2011 photo.

The white-roofed, blocky building on the right side of the River Lea is the Basketball Arena, which didn't exist in 2009. Farther to the right, the Olympic Village is taking shape, just to the north of the Stratford International rail station.

The 2011 view still shows a bare spot on the left side of the river where the Hockey Center will go, but lots of progress has been made on landscaping.

The second image shows the southern end of the park, highlighted by the Olympic Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies will be conducted. On the right side of the screen, you can see how much work has been done on the rounded-roofed Aquatics Center and the Water Polo Arena just to the north.

To learn more about the buildings and the buildup to the Olympics, check out the NBC Olympics website, Universal Sports' photo gallery and London 2012's Olympic Park map. The Games begin on July 27.

See more satellite imagery from the Cosmic Log Space Advent Calendar

© 2012 msnbc.com Reprints

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Photos: Olympic venues

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  1. Olympic Park

    The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games released the new aerial image dated Dec. 5 showing the transformation of the Olympic Park.

    London will host the 2012 Olympic Games taking place from 27 July-12 August 2012 and Paralympic Games 29 August - 9 September 2012. (Anthony Charlton / Olympic Delivery Authority via Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  2. Home sweet home

    An aerial view of the Athletes' Village in the London 2012 Olympic Park on April 16. (Anthony Charlton / London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games via Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  3. View from above

    An aerial view of the Olympic Stadium, Aquatics Centre and Water Polo Arena in the London 2012 Olympic Park on April 16. (Anthony Charlton / LOCOG via Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
    Related slideshow When the Olympics is your neighbor
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    Spin your wheels

    Exterior view of the Velodrome within the Olympic Park in London, England, on Feb. 19. The velodrome will host the track cycling events at the 2012 Olympic Games. (Gerry Penny / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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    Eyes on the prize

    An aerial view of the Aquatics Centre and the Water Polo Arena in the London 2012 Olympic Park on April 16. (Anthony Charlton / LOCOG via Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  6. Transformation

    An aerial view of Olympic Park taken on April 4, 2008, (bottom) and Dec. 21, 2011, (top) show the Aquatics Centre (front), Water Polo Arena, right, and the Olympic Stadium, back, in London and the site when construction began. (Anthony Charlton / Olympic Delivery Authority via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  7. Olympic Stadium and Orbit Tower

    The Olympic stadium and Orbit Tower of the London 2012 Olympic games in Stratford, east London, seen on Jan. 12, 2012. (Facundo Arrizabalaga / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  8. Velodrome

    A view of the Velodrome from the Parklands area in the Olympic Park in London on April 8, 2011. (Anthony Charlton / Olympic Delivery Authority via EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  9. Olympic Stadium

    The Olympic Stadium is seen from Hackney in London on Nov. 27, 2011. (Eddie Keogh / Reuters) Back to slideshow navigation

  10. Beach volleyball venue

    People walk across the Horseguards Parade on Nov. 29, 2011, in London, which will host the beach volleyball event for the London 2012 Olympic Games. (Andy Rain / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation
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  11. Rising to the occasion

    Hot air balloons rise into the early morning sky July 25, 2011, over London. Seven balloons took part in the flight over London as part of a collaboration between the London Sky Orchestra project, the 30th anniversary of the London International Festival of Theatre, and the Greater London Authority, which is marking a year to go before the 2012 Olympic Games. (Andrew Winning / Reuters) Back to slideshow navigation
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    Mascots

    Olympic mascot Wenlock, left, and Paralympic mascot Mandeville pose for photographs May 19, 2010, at a school in London. The backstory of the two mascots is that they were created from the last drops of steel left over from the construction of the final support girder for the Olympic Stadium. (Matt Dunham / AP) Back to slideshow navigation

  13. Bull’s eye

    An aerial view of Lord's Cricket Ground, which will host archery events during the London 2012 Olympic Games. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  14. Hoop dreams

    An interior view of the London 2012 Basketball Arena. Construction on the 12,000-seat basketball arena for 2012 Olympics in London has been completed, just 15 months after building began. The stadium became the fourth venue at Olympic Park to be finished, on budget and in time for the first test event to be held at the site in August. (Dave Tully / ODA via AP) Back to slideshow navigation

  15. The Dome

    An aerial view of the North Greenwich Arena, also known as The Dome, which will host artistic gymnastics, trampoline, basketball and wheelchair basketball events during the 2012 Olympics in London. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  16. Manmade whitewater

    An aerial view of the Lee Valley White Water Centre, which will host the canoe slalom events during the London Olympics. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  17. In the arena

    Nina Ligon represents Thailand during an equestrian competition at Greenwich Park on July 4 in London. The equestrian eventing was one of the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games’ test events prior to 2012. (Olivia Harris / Reuters) Back to slideshow navigation

  18. Goal!

    An aerial view of Wembley Stadium, which will host soccer events during the 2012 Games. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  19. Courtside seats

    An interior view of the Handball Arena at London’s Olympic Park. The Handball Arena became the third venue at the Olympic Park to be completed. (David Poultney - Locog Handout / EPA) Back to slideshow navigation

  20. Tennis, anyone?

    An aerial view of Wimbledon, which will host the tennis events during the 2012 Olympic Games. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

  21. The Mall

    An aerial view of The Mall, which will host the marathon, race walk and cycling events at the 2012 Games. (Tom Shaw / Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation
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  22. Torch unveiled

    Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Olympic Organising Committee, poses for pictures with the newly unveiled 2012 London Olympic Torch on June 8 in London. Runners will use the torch to carry the Olympic flame 8,000 miles around Britain to the opening ceremony. (Geoff Caddick / AFP - Getty Images) Back to slideshow navigation

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  1. Image: Olympic Park Aerial Images Display Transformation On Eve of Olympic And Paralympic Year
    Anthony Charlton / Olympic Delivery Authority via Getty Images
    Above: Slideshow (22) Venues for 2012 London Olympic Games - Olympic venues
  2. Image: -
    Carl Court / AFP - Getty Images
    Slideshow (34) Venues for 2012 London Olympic Games - London calling
  3. NASA/JPL/Univ. of Arizona
    Slideshow (20) Month in Space: A blaze of glory

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