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The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) along with Comisión Nacional de Actividades Espaciales (CONAE) will develop, the Sabiá-Mar Satellite, for the global observation of the oceans and the monitoring of the Brazilian and Argentinean coastline as well. The joint initiative was approved at the last meeting of the AEB Board in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.USD 2.5 million for the initial studies was also approved during the meeting in the presence of foreign ministers from both countries and project managers from Brazilian and Argentinean Mechanism of Integration and Coordination range (MICBA). Expected time period for the initial studies is nine months.The satellite will be efficient enough to detect colour of the oceans, monitor oil exploration, manage coastal areas and contribute to the fishery, among other applications. The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) will be in charge of this project. The Sabiá-Mar project is in line with the objectives set by the international scientific community and more specifically with those established by the Committee on Earth Observation Satellite.According to what was set up among AEB, INPE and CONAE, the studies accomplished on the Sabiá-Mar Satellite development shall reach the optimisation of its payload (camera imaging) aiming the complementarity of the optical missions that have been previously designed and foreseen in Brazil and Argentina (Amazonia-1 satellite, CBERS-3 and 4, SAC-D/Aquarius).Considering the industrial and the technological capabilities of both countries, it will be proposed a better division of tasks that include both the payload and the platform. The studies that comprise the mission phase will take into account the option of developing together a new platform that fulfils the requirements of Sabiá-Mar satellite and the future missions that might happen between the two countries.

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