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The second China Brazil Earth Resource Satellite, CBERS-2, celebrated its fifth year in orbit last week. The satellite has now exceeded its design life, with all systems operating normally.

The satellite was built by Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais (INPE) – the National Institute of Space Investigations of Brazil – and the Chinese Academy of Space Technology.

CBERS-2 was launched on 21 October 2003 by the Chinese Long March 4B rocket from Taiyuan launch facility in China.

It was the second satellite of the Chinese-Brazilian Earth Resource Satellite (CBERS) program, agreed by both countries 20 years ago to develop, launch and operate satellites together.

The first satellite, CBERS-1, was launched in 1999 and operated for four years till August 2003.

The agreement between the two countries foresees the launch of two other satellites, CBERS-3 and 4. However, CBERS-3 will not be ready before 2011, which will leave a gap in data continuity. In consequence, the partners decided to build a clone of CBERS-2, called CBERS-2B, to fill in should CBERS-2 fail. It was launched 27 September 2007.

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