I posted the Low Resolution satellite image for the ARU concessions I bought ($25) last week.  As mentioned the 15 metre square resolution you get in these and Google Earth images doesn't allow you to see much beyond typography.

You don't need a friend in Uncle Sam's NSA to get effective satellite imagery but you do need some serious pocket change.   A tasked collection (new imagery vs archives) @ 0.6meter square coverage for the ARU concession was going to be $24K plus upgrade costs (map view, grid references, color correction etc).   I suspect that the majors are buying it on a regular basis or have someone that flies over once a week and takes high resolution shots of the area to keep track on what is going on.   The rest of us have to wait for what we can scrounge or what they feed us.