Ocean surveillance satellites can be spoofed and confused

Can satellites easily photograph the Pacific and locate every ship?

No. Ocean-reconnaissance satellites do not provide instant whole-ocean photography, and radar-reduced ships can complicate detection.

A single satellite cannot photograph the entire Pacific in seconds and identify every ship. Ocean surveillance depends on sensor limits, orbits, radar behavior, and interpretation. Ships designed for radar-signature reduction may return signals resembling much smaller vessels, creating another source of ambiguity. Experimental methods discussed here use weather-satellite observations and plankton-related water patterns to look for ship disturbances. Those techniques depend on reliable computer interpretation and could eventually create detection problems for submarines as well as surface ships.