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With remembrance in our hearts, we Hokies send a message of thanks to the world!

On November 17, 2007 thousands gathered on the Virginia Tech Drillfield to spell out a message of thanks to the world in recognition of the global outpouring of support and love for the Virginia Tech community following the events of April 16.

The message was recorded in red, blue, green, near-infrared, and panchromatic wavelengths by the the IKONOS satellite orbiting 423 miles above the Earth in a north-to-south direction at 4.7 miles per second. To record the message, the satellite maneuvered it's optics in reverse to a 139.33-degree azimuth and 66.85-degree angle looking north towards Blacksburg and pierced through high-altitude clouds at 11:10:54 am EST. Amazingly, the message was illuminated by sunlight at the exact time of the satellite image!