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37.
ERTS PROJECT
Since 1972, when the ERTS-1 was launched and started col
lecting data of practically the whole word, experts of the Insti-
tute for Space Researchs - INPE immediately perceived the signifi
cance of a complete synoptic and timely coverage of our 8 500 000
sq km, with black 8 white and/or color pictures, exactly when the
interpretation of the RADAR imagery was being started and could
be highly improuved by comparison of the two distinct images and
correlation of the respective interpretation patterns.
Of course, for broad areas like the Canadian and the bra
zilian territories the ideal solution to acquire such an extensi-
ve image coverage wouldn't be to keep buying for many years, the
thousands or millions of negatives produced by the NASA/Goddard -
Space Flight Center.
The idea of. a local tracking station to collect desta --
transmitted by the Satellite and produce the respective image ne-
gatives was conceived by the Canadians to whom should be credit -
the achievement of a generous agreement the U.S.A. to have NASA
switching on the transmission unit aboard the Satellite everytime
it passes over the canadian territory.
The technical staff of INPE, at one, convinced the brazi
lian Government to negociate a similar agreement and in april, =
1973 a tracking and receiving station was set up at.the city of
CUIABA, State of Mato Grosso, (15?27'S and 56?04'W), agroximately
the gravity center of the South-American Continent, aiming to pro
vide coverage of the whole Brazilian Territory.
NASA is switching on the transmitting unit everytime the
Satelitte posses over the brezilian continent, and discussions -
are being conduct with NASA and the other South-American countries
in the way of having our station tracking practically tbe whole -
South-American Co ntinent, except the southest part of it, i.e. -
and a relatively small part of Perü, Equador, Colombia & Venezue-
la, under the condition that Brazil furnishes the other South-Ame
rican Countries with their images if they want to.
