Brazil and China announced today that they are to distribute free images from the Chinese-Brazilian Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS) to African countries.

The announcement, made by the Brazilian delegation at the fourth meeting at the Group on Earth Observations (GEO) in Cape Town, South Africa, will boost the capacity of African governments and organizations to monitor natural disasters, deforestation, droughts, desertification, threats to agricultural productions and food security, and public health risks.

The new service provided by Brazil and China will represent an important contribution to the global system for earth observations that is being promoted in the framework of the GEO, and which will support sustainable development in Africa. It will also give a forward impetus to international cooperation, with a view to the full sharing of data arising from earth observations.

As well as providing high-quality images, Brazil is committed to supplying software for the processing of images, along with other interpretation tools, such as training for Africans interested in using the technology.

In 1988, dispensing with the sole-property model with regard to remote sensing satellites, Brazil and China established a partnership for the construction, launch and joint operation of CBERS satellites. The CBERS programme permits the two countries to produce data on, and images of, their vast territories at a reduced cost, building a powerful instrument for assisting in the formulation of public policy in areas such as environmental monitoring, agricultural development and urban planning.

The third satellite in the CBERS series (CBERS-2B) was successfully launched on 19 September. Two other, more advanced satellites are currently being developed: the CBERS-3 should be launched in 2010, and the CBERS-4 in 2012. Brazil and China have already begun discussions regarding how to proceed with bilateral cooperation in this field.

Using three different sensors, the CBERS-2B satellite permits complete coverage of the Earth in a period of 26 days. As with the other data, the multispectral images, with a resolution of 20 metres, are transmitted to three stations in China and one in Brazil (located in Cuiabá; the installation of a second antenna, in Boa Vista, is being planned). The satellite also carries a transponder for the collection of environmental data from platforms throughout Brazil. This system assists with the collection of data from remote regions such as tropical forests, mountains and lakes.

The distribution of CBERS images to Africa will be possible due to the use of receiving stations located in South Africa, Kenya (where the station belongs to Italy), the Canary Islands (station operated by Spain) and Italy. Distribution will be carried out by means of the GEONetCast system, created by the GEO, as well as through other channels on the internet. The system for the distribution of data to Africa should be in full operation at the beginning of 2008.

Source: Ministry of External Relations