ERS SAR Data held by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), Brazil

INPE's only receiving station for ERS-1 and ERS-2 SAR is located in
Cuiaba, MT (geographic coordinates approx. 15.5S/56.0W). The SAR tapes
recorded at Cuiaba are air shipped to the processing and distribution
center in Cachoeira Paulista, SP, where they are kept. A copy of all
recorded tapes is sent to the ESA PAF at the DLR facilities in
Germany.

Early ERS-1 SAR data were acquired primarily for station checkout and
Principal Investigator service. A small number of passes, 15 seconds
to 2 minutes long, were acquired from August, 1991 to March, 1992,
during the Commissioning and Ice phases where the repeat cycle was 3
days but the ground coverage was sparse. More extensive and regular
acquisitions began in April, 1992, with the satellite already in the
so-called Multidisciplinary phase (full ground coverage and 35-day
repeat cycle).

INPE is allowed to service user requests originated in Brazil
only. Only digital products are available. Requests for products and
for image search listings will be handled directly by the processing
center (listed at the Data Center entry), through contacts by mail,
phone or fax. No online remote access is available, although plans
exist to implement it, including the International Directory
protocols. No firm date is speculated for that, but hopes are that it
can be made before 1998.

Requests from countries other that Brazil must be routed to the ESA
licensed regional distributors. Information can be obtained with the
ESA ERS-1 Order Desk, c/o ESRIN, C.P. 64, I-00044 Frascati, Italy. The
phone numbers are +39.6.941-80600 (voice) and +39.6.941-80510 (fax).