The first in the series, a gravity mapper called Goce, was launched in March 2009.

BBC: Esa's Cryosat ice mission given launch date

Craig Venter, the brash gene-mapper, and James Watson, who discovered DNA's structure, have gotten to look straight at their entire DNA code.

FORBES: Luxury Genes

Celera genomics began life as the swashbuckling mapper of the human genome, but it never could find the profit treasure buried in that map.

FORBES: The Suggestive Gene

The genome mapper itself has been trying to refocus on drug discovery and diagnostic tests and has had to shed jobs in the process.

FORBES: DeCode's Genetic Breakthrough Barely Registers

Genome mapper Francis Collins says prior research undermines Simons' work.

FORBES: Magazine Article