MalaysiaGIS.com

Kuala Lumpur, Tues. - A ground station using remote sensing technology to identify suitable agricultural land as well as enhance environmental, disaster and natural resource management will be operational by the end of next year.

The RM30 million station in Temerloh, Pahang, will receive data from four satellites - belonging to the United States, Canada, France and Japan - and this will be processed in the station.

Deputy Minister of Science, Technology and Environment Datuk Zainal Dahalan said today data received by the station would be made available to other South-East Asian countries as well as China, since the transmission radius covers an area of 2,800 kilometres.

This is the first such station in Malaysia. There are only 20 stations of this nature worldwide.

"This station is also multi-functional since it would receive data for defence and weather purposes using global positioning," he said after launching a seminar titled Natural Resources and Environment Management organised by the Malaysian Centre for Remote Sensing (Macres).

Remote sensing is a component of space technology that involves the use of sensors placed on orbiting satellites for the collection of data related to the earth's environment, natural resources and national security.

The project is being implemented under the National Remote Sensing Programme (NRSP).