September 7, 2023
From the 7-18 August 2023, The China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA), with the support of South African National Space Agency (SANSA) team installed the CBERS-04A data terminal that will allow direct reception of data to SANSA servers. The installation of the CBERS-04A terminal is significant as it provides the South African and SADC remote sensing community with access to up to 2m spatial resolution imagery. CBERS-04A is one of the BRICS remote sensing constellation satellites jointly developed by China and Brazil.
In 2008, SANSA and China Centre for Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA) entered into an agreement that enables SANSA to directly receive, process, archive and distribute CBERS satellite data free-of-charge to the EO community across Africa.
SANSA currently receives CBERS-04A Wide width Panchromatic Multi-spectral camera (WPM) sensors which offer spatial resolution of 2m (Pan) and 8m (multispectral). Below are CBERS-04A WPM sensors specifications.
Table1: CBERS-04A WPM technical specifications
| CBERS-04A WPM specifications | |
| Sensor | WPM |
| Spectral Bands | Blue: 0.45 – 0.52 umGreen: 0.52 – 0.59 umRed: 0.63 – 0.69 umNIR: 0.77 – 0.89 umPAN: 0.45 – 0.90 um |
| Spatial Resolution | 2m- pan8m- MS |
| Swath Width | 92 km |
| Temporal resolution | 31 days |
| Quantisation | 10 bits |
CBERS-04A data can be used for a wide range of application areas such as urban planning, water resource monitoring, natural disaster management, agriculture, and environmental monitoring and to support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts.
Since the installation of the CBERS-04A WPM terminal at Hartebeeshoek ground station, SANSA has received over 500 images. Figure1-3 shows CBERS-04A images acquired over various parts of Africa.
Figure1: Tambohorano, Madagascar CBERS-04A acquired on 31 August 2023
Figure 2: Mundundo Forest Concession, Angola acquired on 27 August 2023
Figure 3: Sand dunes, Namibia acquired on 27 August 2023
CBERS-04A WPM data is now available for ordering, you can contact SANSA’s Customer Service at customers-eo@sansa.org.za…end
