FAQ'S

How can I get a color catalog sent to me?
Where is Spaceshots located?
Can I be a re-seller of your products?
Do you have resources for educators?
Vendors that sell our product?
Looking for a Product and cannot find it?
I want to use your pictures?
May I download an image from your web site?
Do you offer framing for your products?
Which is best for framing?
What is a laminated poster?
How do you ship my order?
Foreign Orders - What currency are the prices in?
What if I want a shot larger or smaller than poster size listed?
Do you offer discounts?
Can I make a suggestion?
I have a web site, can we link up?
General Information on what a satellite image is and why do we not have a shot of "such and such" city?
If I order from the catalog online, how do I know I will get the same promotion (i.e. free shipping or gift with purchase) that is offered in the catalog I received in the mail?
Is the image on your site accurate to what I will be sent?
If I order from the catalog online, how do I know I will get the same promotion (i.e. free shipping or gift with purchase) that is offered in the catalog I received in the mail?
Is the image on your site accurate to what I will be sent?
How can I be notified when you add more items to the site related to a particular poster?

How can I get a color catalog sent to me?

We would love to send you a catalog. If you are placing an order, the latest catalog is inserted at no charge with the order.If you just want the catalog, we will mail you one at no cost (to addresses within the U.S. only ). This will take four to six weeks. If you need the catalog immediately the cost is $3.50 per copy. For all foreign addresses there is a $5.00 postal charge and there are several ways to order:

Call us toll-free at 800 272-2779 within the US and parts of Canada.

Click here to order the catalog online.

Postal mail your order with check to:

Spaceshots, Inc.
26943 Ruether Ave. Suite S
Santa Clarita, CA 91351-6500

Catalogs take 4 to 6 weeks bulk mail and 3 to 4 days when the catalog is purchased.

Where is Spaceshots located?

We are located in Southern California just outside of the Los Angeles area at:
26943 Ruether Ave Suite S
Santa Clarita, CA 91351-6500
800-272-2779 Tel. Inside the US and parts of Canada
661-299-5594 Tel.
661-299-5586 Fax.

Can I be a re-seller of your products?

Yes you can! You must have a resale number and fill out a credit application. Please call 800-272-2779 ext.10. See our "Rules of the Road" below and call for more information.

SPACESHOTS, INC. publishes and distributes satellite and astronomy posters for a worldwide market. Featuring over seven hundred products, Spaceshots serves wholesale customers in the retail markets as well as directly to the retail customer. Images are available in a wide range of styles and subjects: satellite, panoramic/aerial, astrophotography, educational drawings and abstract/modern mosaics. Suggested retail prices range between $2.95-$75.00 USD.

Always an industry leader, we serve our customers with real live people on the phone and same-day shipping on your order if the order is placed by 12:00 Pacific time. We use our twenty years of experience to know what trends are emerging and produce them in high quality prints/products you can sell.

You can find us easily here at www.spaceshots.com and at most major trade shows both domestic and international - checkout our what's new in your area on our home page.

Rules of the Road for our resellers:
First order - Your first order must be COD or credit card only.
Spaceshots catalogs - A full-color catalog is available for those wishing to order our prints and other products. Rapid Same Day Service. Give us your order before 12:00 Noon Pacific Time and it will be shipped the very same day! Most orders ship via UPS unless otherwise specified. International customers please allow extra shipping days depending on the delivery method requested. Order our New Catalog: Your best tool for viewing and ordering our product line. We will send an update to you automatically in the Fall and in the Spring and you will receive supplements to the catalog, keeping you up to date with our newest and best.

We'll help sell the products - As with any product, how well the product does depends on how the product is promoted and merchandised in your store. Spaceshots can supply you with a poster display box (this holds up to 36 posters) that is custom made to have only the items pictured that you carry. If you have wall space, this is a perfect place for a display and we will provide you with samples of what you ordered (depending on the quantity ordered) for you to frame or simply place on the wall or in the window.

Minimum Reorder Policy - There is a $60.00 (wholesale price) minimum reorder for Spaceshots products. Any order less than $60.00 (not including the shipping charge) will be subject to a $10.00 service surcharge.

How to order our products - For accuracy, we STRONGLY recommend that all orders be faxed or e-mailed. Please fax all orders directly to your representative (please call ext. 10 if you need your rep information). If your account is handled in house, please fax to 661-299-5586. Or, you may e-mail your order to wholesale@spaceshots.com.

Pricing and Prints - All prices are subject to change without notice. Poster size, editions, and colors are subject to change without notice. Please call and confirm any posters in question.

Terms - All new accounts are COD or Prepayment for a minimum of 90 days in order to establish a mutually beneficial relationship. Terms are extended upon completion of our signed credit application and our evaluation of the mutual benefit of our relationship. No terms are granted automatically after 90 days or after the first order. A confirmation letter will be sent verifying individual store terms. For new accounts paying in advance with a check, please include an additional 12% of the merchandise total for shipping costs. There may be extra handling charges assessed on special orders. Shipping is F.O.B. Santa Clarita, CA. Prices subject to change without notice.

Orders refused, as a result of assuming terms will cause the cancellation of your account. If you're not certain of your current terms, the customer service department will be happy to provide you with immediate written clarification. (800-272-2779 ext.10)

Payments - Spaceshots accepts credit cards, checks, money orders, and bank wire transfers for payment of account. Checks are gladly accepted on CODs and payments of invoices; however, notice of insufficient funds will result in a cash only status for a period of one year. There will be a $25.00 service fee for all checks returned NSF to Spaceshots. Any stop payment of checks will result in cancellation of account indefinitely. If merchandise is kept and payment of a check is stopped, we will proceed immediately with aggressive collection, as this is unethical and illegal. All claims regarding invoice-pricing discrepancies must be made within 48 hours of receipt of invoice. PLEASE NOTE: Payments submitted for invoices without referencing invoice numbers on checks will automatically be deposited without payment being applied to a specific invoice. It is very difficult to evaluate which invoice is to be paid without your approval. Please communicate which invoices, and amounts per invoice you wish to be credited on a statement provided with your payment. Past due accounts are subject to 1.5% monthly finance charge.

Contacting us about problems: If you have any problems with your order, or payment sent, you need only contact customer service for resolution.
SPACESHOTS, INC.
26943 RUETHER AVENUE SUITE S
SANTA CLARITA, CA 91351
(PLEASE SEND PAYMENTS UNDER SEPARATE COVER FROM ANY CORRESPONDENCE TO THE ABOVE ADDRESS.)

Purchase Orders / Pro forma - We will only proceed with Purchase Orders with established customers. In addition, we will only proceed with Pro forma relationships with international customers. Pro forma ordering slows down the shipping process.

Credit Hold - A retailer will be placed on Credit Hold for the following reasons: NSF checks, past due invoices, slow pay and refused orders. Orders pending for accounts on credit hold will only be shipped when these matters have been resolved. New orders will not be shipped on accounts that are more than 5 days past due on ANY invoice. Timely payments are an important issue with our company. Spaceshots, Inc. reports all GOOD and BAD payment histories.

Credit Memos - Credit Memos used for payment of invoices must be submitted with payment in order to receive credit. DO NOT deduct amounts from invoice payments without including a copy of our credit memo with your payment. Should you lose, or require a copy of your credit memo, please contact customer service at 800-272-2779 ext. 10 for an immediate copy of your Credit Memo.

Shipping - Spaceshots utilizes UPS for daily delivery to all individual business locations except for Alaska and Hawaii where USPS is used. Should your location desire another trucking company or courier to be used, you must organize it. Allow 3-8 days for shipment of all in-stock items. Our prices do not include shipping and handling costs, these are added to all orders.

Express Services - For UPS next day (Red label), UPS second day (Blue label) you must place your order by 12 noon Pacific Standard Time. Please advise if you do not want an item backordered. Items ordered together may not always be shipped together. We request that all Purchase Orders contain a requested ship date. ASAP may be used if you would like the next available shipping date (typically within one day). If a specific ship date is required, please request this specific date for shipment.

Shipping discrepancies, damages, or problems - Your shipment will be carefully packed and under normal handling will reach you in perfect condition. In the event there is a discrepancy with your order, our policy is that notification be given to us within 48 hours of delivery. Upon notification to our office of your shipping discrepancy, a fax will be sent immediately confirming the overage / shortage. If you fail to receive our confirmation of your discrepancy within 2 hours of notification, your notification was NOT received. Please reconfirm immediately. All confirmations are in writing only! It is our responsibility to provide you with confirmation of the discrepancy, and the retailers responsibility to maintain this document for future verification and proper credit. Again we apologize; but a Credit Memo will not be issued for any discrepancies reported after 48 hours from receipt of goods.

For defective products, please contact us within 5 days of receipt of your order so that we may issue an exchange. All defective returns MUST be accompanied by a Return Authorization. Any unauthorized returns will be refused. Customer will be responsible for original shipping charges.

Should any product be damaged, simply call our customer service department to have a claims person from UPS come out to inspect the package. You MUST retain the original package the way it was received until the claims person inspects the package.. Once the claims person inspects that the packing materials are adequate. We will immediately replace product.

Refused merchandise / returns for product not a result of damaged, defective, or wrong merchandise MUST have a Return Authorization form. All returns shipped COD will be refused. A restocking fee of 20% will be charged for all unauthorized returns. Customer will be responsible for shipping charges on returned product as well as original shipping charges.

Backorders - Back ordered, items not received with your initial order will be shipped when available. Back orders are the customer's responsibility. If a customer does not want back orders, or wants a backorder canceled after a certain date, it must be noted on the original order. Spaceshots will call a customer before shipping any backorder 90 days beyond the original order date.

Cancellation or Changing of Orders - Should you desire to cancel or change an order, you must request a "written confirmation" from us directly (800-272-2779) within 72 hours of ship date. We will be pleased to fax you a confirmation immediately upon receipt. Please verify that your request was received if you do not receive our confirmation within 2 hours.

There is no cancellation charge, or restocking fee on cancelled or changed orders at least 72 hours from the ship date. If your order cancellation is received within 72 hours of the ship date and the order has already been packed, there will be a 25% restocking fee to unpack and restock the merchandise. If it has not been packed, we will not charge a restocking fee.

The above policies pertain to orders refused for any reason, including the assumption of terms, should the order be COD and the reason for return was to refuse COD, please contact us to confirm your terms if you have any questions, again we will be happy to help!

We hope this answered some questions on vendor selling information. If there are still some unanswered questions please contact our customer care at 800-272-2779.

Do you have resources for educators?

We've known for years that the best way to get satellite maps and astronomy charts into students hands is to support teachers and librarians. We look forward to your comments and suggestions as to how we can serve you better.

Downloadable Materials
Lesson plans will soon be made available and will be easy to download for select Spaceshots titles. Check back frequently for new additions.

Public Institutions
We welcome orders from public libraries, public school libraries, and public university libraries in the form of a valid purchase order. Purchase order transactions cannot be made via this site unless you are using a credit card; they must be handled via fax to (661) 299-5586 or via mail to this address:

Spaceshots, Inc.
26943 Ruether Ave Suite S
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
Or call: 1-800-272-2779

We do not require credit references. There is no discount for orders of one to ten posters/charts. For orders of 11 or more posters/charts (assorted titles), we extend a 20% discount. All purchases are non-returnable (unless the merchandise is damaged upon receipt). Our terms are NET 30. We ship the least expensive way available unless you specify otherwise on the purchase order. Freight will be FOB Santa Clarita, California. There is no discount on sale, clearance, and specialty items.

Private Institutions
Same as public institutions, except that we do require credit references. Please call 1-800-272-2779 to request a credit application.

Corporate Libraries
Corporate libraries are not eligible for a discount, but we do extend NET 30 terms upon receipt of credit references, (please call 1-800-272-2779 to request a credit application). All items are shipped on a non returnable basis.

Schools
Spaceshots offers schools having a space event or special visitors that we sell products of with special discounts and terms on product purchases. Call our order department at 1-800-272-2779 with the date of the visitor's appearance to set up a special account.
Schools will receive net 30 terms and 15-day returnable privileges. Offer applies only to specific school visits. We require a month's notice to allow for shipping.

Public Schools
We welcome orders from schools in the form of a valid purchase order signed by the principal. Purchase order transactions cannot be made via this site; they must be handled via fax to (661) 299-5586 or via mail to this address:

Spaceshots, Inc.
26943 Ruether Ave Suite S
Santa Clarita, CA 91351
Or call: 1-800-272-2779

Private Schools
Same as public schools, except that we do require credit references.

Vendors that sell our product?

E-mail us your city name, area code & telephone number, along with your zip code and we will forward you a list of vendors in your area or closest to your area. We do a broad search.

Looking for a Product and cannot find it?

Please use the contact form to let us know what you are looking for. Be as specific as possible and we will try our best to find the source. Please note this may take a couple of days.

I want to use your pictures?

Please refer to our licensing section of the web site. The fee varies depending on the factors involved in the use of the image. For example, if you are printing a brochure - how large is the print run? Please have ready your name, address, telephone number, fax number, email, any deadlines, the image and your intended use when you call us at 661-299-5594 ext11 or fax a Letter of Intent with all of the above information on it. We will fax back a quote. It will take up to 48 hours for a return quote. Please note we DO NOT GIVE QUOTES OUT OVER THE TELEPHONE - sorry.

May I download an image from your web site?

No. Due to Copyright laws, this is strictly prohibited. Spaceshots does not assert Copyright to NASA images.

Do you offer framing for your products?

Yes we do. We professionally frame your image using a high quality Plexiglas and your choice of a black, mahogany, or natural varnish wood (1½") frame. They are shipped via UPS in approximately 7-12 working days. Please see our Framing Help Page.

Which is best for framing?

Plain paper is best for framing an image. The paper version allows your selected framing shop to dry mount it on a foam board before framing it. Please note that if you choose to frame a laminated print please MAKE SURE THE FRAME SHOP DRY MOUNTS NOT HEAT MOUNTS the poster. Paper versions of Spaceshots' maps are printed on 110lb-gloss paper and have a UV coating to avoid fading of colors over time, especially if placed near direct sunlight. Please see our Framing Help Page.

What is a laminated poster?

The plastic coating process protects the image and adds a glossy finish to the print. Some of our images have a special gloss coating we do not laminate over these images. The UV coated laminated version of Spaceshots' maps has a double-sided .003 mil lamination on the front and on the back of the map, along with a .20" edge seal. Lamination Help Page.

How do you ship my order?

Most retail orders are shipped via US Priority Mail in a triangle shipping tube or box. Frame orders and orders over a certain size are shipped via UPS. All International Orders are shipped via Insured US Air Mail for regular delivery. Fed Ex International Priority is also available on a per quote basis.

If you order over the phone, on-line, by fax, or with a Credit Card, you will receive your order within one week unless otherwise noted. If you order via regular mail please allow an extra 10 days for check clearance and mailing time.

Foreign Orders - What currency are the prices in?

All prices quoted at Spaceshots, Inc. are in US dollars. For all International Orders, please note the final cost of your order may vary depending on the fluctuation of the currencies involved. Please do all international money orders in US funds.

All International Orders are shipped via Insured US Air Mail for regular delivery. Fed Ex International Priority is also available on a per quote basis.

What if I want a shot larger or smaller than poster size listed?

Please email us at contact@spaceshots.com and let us know the image and the size you are looking for and we will let you know if it can be done and at what cost. Please note that these special orders are considerably more than our standard poster prices and they are non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

Do you offer discounts?

Yes, to customers ordering over 10 of the same image at retail pricing. Please call us at 800-272-2779 and we will fax or email a quote to you.

Can I make a suggestion?

Yes, this better helps us serve you. Positive or less positive every comment counts - it is exactly how we update our images as well as our paper and on-line catalog. You may contact us at contact@spaceshots.com

I have a web site, can we link up?

Great! Please check out our links page. To initiate a link swap, please contact laura@spaceshots.com for linking permission. Your site must either be educational, science, art, astronomy or space related for us to link with you.

Text Link


Spaceshots.com - The Comprehensive satellite and astronomy images, posters and charts site..

Please copy code below and put in your site in order to create link back to us:

Astronomy and Space Directory and Store

Please copy code below and put in your site in order to create link back to us:

General Information on what a satellite image is and why do we not have a shot of "such and such" city?

Unfortunately, publishing satellite images is an expensive business. Due to the very costly data and data processing that is required to produce each unique image, we must carefully select our future "Spaceshots" of locations with sufficient market to warrant such production of a product.

It is not a photograph! It is a image created from Electro magnetic thermal mapping-digital satellite imagery.

The remarkable images that Spaceshots produces were obtained from the Landsat earth-orbiting satellite. Originally launched by NASA in 1972 as the Earth Resources Technology Satellite-A (ERTS-A), six more members of the Landsat series followed: Landsat-2 in 1975, Landsat-3 in 1978, Landsat-4 in 1982, Landsat-5 in 1984, Landsat-6 in the 90's that went into the water off the coast of California and Landsat-7 in 1998. The mission of the Landsat satellite is to provide image data of the Earth for natural resource studies and applications.

Landsat 5 operates from a sun synchronous, near polar orbit (orbiting the earth every 99 minutes), imaging the same 185 km (115 miles) ground swath every 16 days. Orbiting at an altitude of 705 km (450 miles) at 27 000 km/hour , the satellite carries both MSS (Multi-Spectral Scanner) and TM (Thematic Mapper) sensors, which detect primarily reflected radiation from the earth surface in the visible and near infrared wavelengths. The sensor aboard the Landast 5 satellite that was used for most of our images was the Thematic Mapper sensor TM which senses the electromagnetic radiation reflected by the Earth's surface in seven bands of the light spectrum. The satellite in the form of digits, records the electromagnetic radiation and these digits are then beamed to one of several receiving stations on Earth - the TM sensors achieve sharper images and spectral resolutions with an instantaneous field of view of 30 square meters.

Three of these bands detect primary colors (red, green and blue) with a spatial resolution of 30 meters. This means that the details within 30 square meters, representing one pixel, are easily recognizable. This enables us to produce extremely precise images in natural colors. The Landsat 5 TM orbits are programmed with a swath overlap reaching 10 kilometers at the Equator. Therefore, we are able to create mosaic composites of the images as each pair of adjacent images has a minimum overlap. The red and blue colors are natural unfiltered thermal mapping imagery. Most of our posters are color corrected or enhanced to show natural actual colors not the infared (IR) colors.

Landsat 5 also has onboard the MSS Mulit-Spectral Scanner. Orbiting at an altitude of 570 miles (917kn) the MSS is an electronic imaging scanner that has a resolution of about 80 square meters (262 feet) and collects data in four spectral bandwiths in the visible and near-infrared (IR) portions of the spectrum. Most of our images stretch in a 50-mile north-south direction and 80 miles in an east-west direction. Represented by Space Imaging (formerly EOSAT - Earth Observation Satellite Company), other images we carry come from foreign satellites such as the French SPOT satellite. The MSS is a non photographic imaging system which uses an oscillating mirror and fiber optic sensor array. The mirror sweeps from side to side, transmitting incoming energy to a detector array which sequentially outputs brightness values (signal strengths) for successive pixels, one swath at a time. The forward motion of the sensor platform carries the instrument to a position along its path where an adjacent swath can be imaged. MSS sensors have been used in all Landsat generations. However, the routine collection of MSS data was terminated in late 1992, due to the improved information quality provided by the TM sensor.

Finally if you wonder how our images always appear to be cloudless, it is the result of our high standard of image selection. We select data that has less than 2% cloud coverage. Sometimes, for instance, in our Outer Banks Image the clouds were purposely left on the image as they were an attractive cloud pattern over the water. If this does not answer your questions please email us and we will answer your question as soon as possible.

If I order from the catalog online, how do I know I will get the same promotion (i.e. free shipping or gift with purchase) that is offered in the catalog I received in the mail?
During the checkout process you will be given the opportunity to enter the media code or coupon code that is printed in the post card or on the back of the catalog, as well as on the order form. In order to receive any promotional offer tied to the print catalog you are ordering from (such as a free gift with purchase), you MUST insert the media code.

Is the image on your site accurate to what I will be sent?
We strive for a high degree of image accuracy. However, in some cases, the visual representation may be approximate. Occasionally, minor modifications occur between printing runs. If you are not satisfied with the product you receive, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund.

If I order from the catalog online, how do I know I will get the same promotion (i.e. free shipping or gift with purchase) that is offered in the catalog I received in the mail?
During the checkout process you will be given the opportunity to enter the media code or coupon code that is printed in the post card or on the back of the catalog, as well as on the order form. In order to receive any promotional offer tied to the print catalog you are ordering from (such as a free gift with purchase), you MUST insert the media code.

Is the image on your site accurate to what I will be sent?
We strive for a high degree of image accuracy. However, in some cases, the visual representation may be approximate. Occasionally, minor modifications occur between printing runs. If you are not satisfied with the product you receive, you may return it within 30 days for a full refund.

How can I be notified when you add more items to the site related to a particular poster?
It's easy. email us at contact@spaceshots.com and asked to be signed up to be notified when new products are added to our site. Once you sign up, you can then modify your choices at any time by simply sending us a reply on any email we sent you. We will acknowledge your changes as well.