Minister Highlights INPE’s Technology Transfer in Istanbul

Hello reader!

It follows one communicates published on the day (11/16) in the website of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) noting that minister highlights INPE’s Technology transfer during the GEO Plenary in Istanbul.

Duda Falcão

Minister Highlights INPE’s

Technology Transfer During

the GEO Plenary in Istanbul

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

The free access to satellite data, a pioneering initiative of the Brazilian National Institute for Space Research – Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais – INPE), is defended by Brazil in the Annual Plenary Meeting of the Group on Earth Observations (GEO), taking place in Istanbul, Turkey, on Nov. 16 and 17.

The GEO is a partnership of governments that brings together more than 80 countries, the European Commission and a lot of international organizations. The main goal is to deploy a global system that can offer and transform data from satellite and other Earth Observation technologies into vital information.

The Minister Fabio Pitaluga, head of the Sea, Antarctica and Space Division for Itamaraty, and head of the Brazilian delegation at the Plenary, announced Brazil to be hosting the next GEO Plenary, which may take place in Foz do Iguaçu (PR), late 2012. In his speech, the Minister listed INPE’s projects and achievements aimed at the spatial data democratization for the global and sustainable development.

“In 2013 we will launch Amazônia-1, a satellite that aims to monitor forests and agriculture in tropical regions. Brazil (INPE) has developed an open source software to process remote sensing images and to analyze spatial data and geographic information. This software is widely used in Latin America and our goal is to expand it for developing nations in Africa and Asia,” said Fabio Pitatulga.

Through INPE, Brazil provides satellite data and works on managing ways to receive, interpret, use and get them easily to the end user. Since 2004, Brazilian and South American users can access CBERS data, later a benefit extended to every satellite operated by INPE. Currently, stations for receiving satellite data are being installed in Africa.

In the GEO Plenary, the Minister also highlighted the international training promoted by INPE in its Regional Center of Amazonia, in Belém (PA), Brazil, an initiative supported by the United Nations Program for monitoring REDD - Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries.

“Brazil is betting on transfer its technology for rainforest monitoring to other developing nations. We are helping other countries to develop their capacity for measuring and verifying forest carbon stocks,” he said. Check here for the Minister’s speech.

Júlio D’Alge, General Coordinator of Earth Observation, and Hilcea Ferreira, for the International Cooperation Assistance, are INPE’s representatives in GEO Plenary. For more information about the event, visit: http://www.earthobservations.org/geo8.shtml.

Source: WebSite of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE)