R&T CENTRE
Brazil-China Earth Resources Satellite program
The Brazil-China Earth Resources Satellite program [Programa Satélite Sino-Brasileiro de Recursos Terrestres / 中巴地球资源卫星] is a binational space research and development partnership focused on the creation of high-resolution remote sensing platforms. It addresses the need for sovereign environmental monitoring and land-use data, specifically targeting deforestation in the Amazon and agricultural planning in both South America and East Asia. By sharing the technical and financial burdens of satellite development, the initiative provides both nations with independent data streams that bypass commercial Western providers. The programme is managed by the National Institute for Space Research [Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais] in Brazil and the China Academy of Space Technology [中国空间技术研究院] under the oversight of the China National Space Administration [国家航天局]. Since the launch of CBERS-1 [中巴地球资源卫星一号] in 1999, the partnership has deployed multiple generations of satellites featuring optical, infrared, and multispectral sensors. Data generated by these platforms is frequently distributed under open-access policies to support developing nations in the Global South. Currently active, the programme has successfully launched six satellites, with CBERS-4 and CBERS-4A being the primary operational assets as of the early 2020s. Prospective partners should verify the specific data-sharing protocols and the current operational status of individual sensor payloads on the older orbital units. The technical maturity of the programme is high, representing one of the most enduring South-South space cooperation agreements in existence.
- TYPE
- R&T Centre
- COUNTRY
- Unspecified
- FOCUS
- Remote Sensing & Earth Observation
- STAGE
- Joint Governmental Programme
About
The Brazil-China Earth Resources Satellite program [Programa Satélite Sino-Brasileiro de Recursos Terrestres / 中巴地球资源卫星] is a binational space research and development partnership focused on the creation of high-resolution remote sensing platforms. It addresses the need for sovereign environmental monitoring and land-use data, specifically targeting deforestation in the Amazon and agricultural planning in both South America and East Asia. By sharing the technical and financial burdens of satellite development, the initiative provides both nations with independent data streams that bypass commercial Western providers. The programme is managed by the National Institute for Space Research [Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais] in Brazil and the China Academy of Space Technology [中国空间技术研究院] under the oversight of the China National Space Administration [国家航天局]. Since the launch of CBERS-1 [中巴地球资源卫星一号] in 1999, the partnership has deployed multiple generations of satellites featuring optical, infrared, and multispectral sensors. Data generated by these platforms is frequently distributed under open-access policies to support developing nations in the Global South. Currently active, the programme has successfully launched six satellites, with CBERS-4 and CBERS-4A being the primary operational assets as of the early 2020s. Prospective partners should verify the specific data-sharing protocols and the current operational status of individual sensor payloads on the older orbital units. The technical maturity of the programme is high, representing one of the most enduring South-South space cooperation agreements in existence.