Brazil to Develop Satellite to Monitor Deforestation, Urban Expansion

photo by Leonardo F. Freitas

It may do nothing directly to halt the increasing rates of deforestation around the world, but a new satellite to be developed by Brazil and the UK will allow us to better judge just how bad things are getting and take steps against it. The Science and Development Network brings us the details:

Brazil-United Kingdom Collaborate on Satellite
Though it won’t be launched until 2011, Amazônia-1 is the product of a Brazil-UK collaboration. The satellite will orbit the Earth at a distance of 400 miles, 14 times per day. It will carry three cameras in total, to collect images of a variety of countries. One of the cameras, made in the UK, will have be able to produce images with a resolution of each pixel showing ten meters of terrain.

According to the Brazilian Space Agency, the data collected will be made available freely to Brazilian research centers, as well as those in countries around the world. It is hoped that by having greater access to the sort of information collected by Amazônia-1, nations will be able to better fight their environmental problems.

via :: SciDev.net

Deforestation
New Google Earth Layer Shows Global Deforestation
Satellite Images Show Papua New Guinea’s Rapid Deforestation
Amazon Deforestation Speeds Up Once More

Thirsty for more? Check out these related articles:

• Just Say No to Polite Small Talk This Thanksgiving: How to Handle 7 Hairy Topics and Keep the Peace
• Why Wait Till 2012? 8 Quasi-Serious Ways to Ward Off the Apocalypse Now
• 7 Microfinance Organizations for Maximum Impact, Minimal Investment
• Focus on Focus Earth: Ed Norton Runs With Team Maasai For the NYC Marathon
• Move Over Corn: Sugarcane Rising Up in the Biofuel World, and Why Hemp Shouldn't Be Far Behind
• In Berlin, Eager to Knock Down More Walls

Vampire Power

Heating

Public Transportation

Cleaning