VRSS-1 is Venezuela's first remote sensing satellite. On May 26, 2011, a contract for the manufacture and launch of the VRSS-1 spacecraft was signed in Caracas, Venezuela, between the government of Venezuela (the Ministry of People’s Power for Science, Technology and Intermediate Industries) and CGWIC (China Great Wall Industry Corporation), a subsidiary of CASC (China Aerospace Science & Technology Corporation). After launch, the VRSS-1 satellite was renamed in honor of Sebastián Francisco de Miranda (1750-1816), a Venezuelan revolutionary hero, known as ‘Generalissimo’ Francisco de Miranda, who had planned the independence of the Spanish colonies in South America. Partner organizations in the VRSS-1 program: ABAE is the Space Agency of Venezuela, subordinated and funded by the Venezuelan Ministry of People’s Power for Science, Technology and Innovation (MPPCTI). ABAE is in charge of in-orbit operations, management and application of the VRSS-1 satellite mission. The VRSS-1 satellite launched September 20, 2012.
Instruments: High Resolution Camera (PMC) Wide-swath Multispectral Camera (WMC)
3years
Low Earth
Providing resource studies (high-resolution land and vegetation observations - to assess Venezuela's soil and water resources, collecting images to help urban planners, monitoring illegal mining and drug activities, and strengthening national defense), support of disaster monitoring
