Also, what about a "satellite" radar ie you place an object on a space platform over planet which then allows you to select 1 chunk for viewing either continuously or intermittently a la a geostationary or orbiting spy satellite,

or a "thermal" satellite which reveals nothing but adds icons for all detected biters to the map

food for thought :)

you could do so much if you had so much time.
the best way is to do things yourself if you want them ;-)

first thing: expand on the idea, describe exactly what you want to achieve and what would be necessary to achieve it. as if you had to implement it yourself.

There's already a mod, something like that, if you want to borrow ideas: https://mods.factorio.com/mod/nav-beacon

And a slightly improved modified fork of it - https://mods.factorio.com/mod/nav-beacon-fork

It's kinda powerful and just scans the area you're looking at in map view as long as it's on a space platform in orbit of the current planet

The thermal satellite would be really great. Mods like AAI programmable structures https://mods.factorio.com/mod/aai-programmable-structures already have some ways of doing that, but you have to program the detection with circuits yourself.

maybe, but I can't realize every idea, the right time has to be there and the mood has to be right. :-)
but im collecting