China's Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BEIJING 000671 STATE FOR OES/SAT, EAP/CM, ISN/MDSP AND T NASA/OFFICE OF EXTERNAL RELATIONS FOR A/A O'BRIEN TOKYO FOR NASA ATTACHE TILMAN INTERIOR PASS TO USGS/TIM STRYKER, BRAD REED USDA/FAS FOR OGA/HOUSE SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: TSPA TSPL TPHY PREL CH SUBJECT: China's Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA) Seeks Greater Collaboration REFS: A) BEIJING 668 B) STATE 020889 Summary -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Officials from the China Center for Resources Satellite Data and Application (CRESDA)--operators of the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellites (CBERS)--met with ESTHCOUNS and ESTHOFFS on March 10 to discuss areas of potential cooperation with USG organizations. CRESDA proposals for collaboration included 1) setting up a CBERS imagery reception site in the United States; 2) working with U.S. satellite operators to improve CBERS data processing and archiving efficiency; 3) using sites in China and the U.S. to conduct radiometric calibration of U.S. LANDSAT and CBERS sensors; and 4) a remote sensing scholarly exchange. CRESDA Director Dr. GUO Jianning also emphasized that unreasonably long wait times to secure visas to the U.S. are hindering scientific collaboration. CRESDA Must Vet International Agreements through CNSA -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Following a brief introduction to CRESDA operations by CRESDA environmental processing expert Mr. WANG Zhigang, ESTHCOUNS requested details regarding which Chinese entities are ultimately responsible for negotiating and implementing international satellite data exchanges and agreements. Guo made clear that CRESDA reports to not only the State Administration for Science, Technology, and Industry for the National Defense (SASTIND)--the organization that oversees the management of China's defense industries, and ultimately to the National Development Reform Commission (NDRC)--but also to the China National Space Administration (CNSA). Guo also stated that cooperation is "never easy or smooth" when it comes to data exchanges and in CRESDA's case, CNSA would have the final say in any agreement between CRESDA and a USG organization. Nevertheless, Guo said that SASTIND Vice Minister SUN Laiyan (who serves concurrently as CNSA Administrator) is eager to promote CBERS imagery distribution world-wide. Guo also indicated that CRESDA has more leeway to negotiate agreements when not at a government-to-government level. CRESDA Proposes Four Key Areas of Collaboration -------------- -- ¶3. (SBU) CRESDA's most forward-leaning proposition for cooperation calls for upgrading an existing U.S. ground station to receive CBERS imagery directly. Guo noted that CRESDA currently has agreements with South Africa, Spain, and Italy to outfit existing ground stations with CRESDA-produced black boxes that downlink CBERS imagery directly. Guo said that it would be a relatively simple procedure and that CRESDA would be willing to upgrade a LANDSAT facility with the necessary equipment. When asked if this imagery would be freely available to users in the United States (as it is to users in China, Africa, and the Caribbean),Guo said that CRESDA still would be required to charge developed countries for downloaded images. (NOTE: Guo did not mention any designs to sell CBERS imagery on a large-scale commercial basis to "developed" markets; however, Post views this as a likely potential long-term goal for the Chinese. END NOTE.) ¶4. (SBU) Guo directly stated that CRESDA someday hopes to have access to U.S. technologies (currently denied to China) to improve the performance of China's earth observation satellites. He noted that CRESDA's first ground processing system for the CBERS-1 satellite was built by U.S. firm Hughes Network Systems in the mid-90s. Following the imposition of U.S. technology transfer BEIJING 00000671 002 OF 003 restrictions, CRESDA had been forced to develop its own, less efficient data processing systems. He also underscored the point by noting that CBERS-3 and -4 are more than a year behind schedule because Brazil has been unable to procure long-lead, charged couple device (CCD) sensor components from the United States. Brazil was responsible for developing the high-resolution imaging camera for these satellites and had selected the proscribed U.S. CCD technology, although Guo did not comment on how Brazil intended to move forward without these components. Guo acknowledged that access to U.S. aerospace technology would be unlikely in the near-term, but said that he would be interested in understanding how U.S. satellite operators manage tasking requirements from a multitude of users, in order to improve CRESDA's own tasking process. He specifically expressed interest in meeting with U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) officials to discuss how their Earth Resource Observation and Science (EROS) Center does data processing and archiving. ¶5. (SBU) ESTHOFF raised USGS' interest in using China's Dunhuang satellite calibration site located in the Gobi Desert. Guo said that CRESDA would be interested in jointly establishing radiometric calibration standards for both U.S. and Chinese earth observation satellites and proposed cross-calibrating LANDSAT and CBERS satellites using the ground calibration site in White Sands, New Mexico and Dunhuang (in Gansu Province). CRESDA had been working on a similar program with the French space agency CNES and French commercial satellite firm SPOT for the last four years to calibrate SPOT sensors using the Dunhuang site, in part to increase the number of SPOT imagery users in China. ¶6. (SBU) Finally, Guo proposed a scholarly exchange with U.S. universities or possibly U.S. government organizations that would bring U.S. experts to work for some period of time at CRESDA. Guo said that CRESDA has a similar program in place with France's CNES. Guo mentioned in particular a remote sensing center at the University of Maryland as a top choice for establishing a formal exchange program, although CRESDA seemed open to other possibilities as well. Visa Wait Times Continue to Hinder Cooperation -------------- - ¶7. (U) CRESDA also raised the issue of lengthy visa wait times throughout the discussion. Guo said that he had tried to attend two USGS-sponsored meetings in the United States in 2007 but had been unable to get his visa in time. ESTHOFF noted that the visa wait time for scientists subject to administrative processing continues to grow and is now at 16 weeks, making it extremely difficult to plan exchanges. On a more positive note, ESTHCOUNS informed CRESDA officials of the recent decision to grant multiple entry visas with one-year validity, following successful completion of administrative processing, which would alleviate the need for return visitors to go through the three-plus month application process again (within one year)(REF B) In the event of future exchanges or meetings between CRESDA and USG personnel in the United States, ESTHOFF suggested CRESDA work closely with the Embassy to ensure that a letter of invitation from the sponsoring USG organization be crafted with meeting dates far enough out so that visa applications can be processed in time. CRESDA's Capabilities Set to Expand -------------- ¶8. (SBU) In addition to the CBERS satellites, CRESDA also operates the Huanjing-1A and -1B earth observation satellites. With plans to launch CBERS-3 and -4 and a third HJ satellite (HJ-1C)in the next two years, CRESDA has begun construction on a new facility next to BEIJING 00000671 003 OF 003 its existing Beijing site that will be capable of processing data concurrently from five satellites, which would carry a variety of imaging sensors including visible, multi-spectral, hyper-spectral, and synthetic aperture radar (SAR). CRESDA officials also noted that they are planning a new data reception site in Thailand that will be used to receive HJ data. ¶9. (SBU) ESTH officers were given a tour of the data processing facility and shown CRESDA's new "quick look" capability, developed to provide near real-time high-resolution imagery from China's HJ-1A and -1B satellites. CRESDA officials said that while the HJ satellites are in view of a ground site, they are able to downlink the data, run basic image processing, and output the final pictures to the user within ten minutes. CRESDA engineers are now also able to stitch individual images together to provide a kind of "video" effect, as if the user were flying over a swath of land and looking out a window. CRESDA officials stated that this information can be transmitted directly to several Chinese government entities over recently-installed fiber optic lines capable of very high-data throughput. ¶10. (SBU) COMMENT: CRESDA officials were remarkably open regarding their data processing capabilities and eager to impress visiting Embassy officers. It was evident during a tour of the ground processing facility that CRESDA officials believe they are now approaching capabilities comparable to the United States, with one Chinese official claiming that the United States and China are the only two countries with hyper-spectral satellite imaging capabilities. Moreover, as CRESDA continues to expand its sensor capabilities and grow its network of data reception sites around the world, CRESDA will likely become a leading supplier of free satellite imagery products and earth observation data to Asia, Africa, and Latin America. END COMMENT WEINSTEIN