Uruguay Space Agencies

With regard to the activities of the Aeronautics and Space Research and Dissemination Centre (CIDA-E), particular mention can be made of the following:

(a) In 1998, CIDA-E signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Space University, under which it will act as liaison office for Uruguay to serve as the contact point between the University and the space community in Uruguay;

(b) Also, CIDA-E has initiated contacts with the European Centre for Space Law of the European Space Agency, with a view to setting up a Latin American centre for aeronautical and space law;

(c) The Planetary Society, in cooperation with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory of the United States of America, is currently organizing an international student competition entitled "Red Rover Goes to Mars", which will enable the young winners to participate in a simulated exploratory mission arriving on Mars on 22 January 2002. Acting as the national centre, CIDA-E will publicize the competition, receive the entries from those wishing to take part and announce the winners of the competition at the national level, who will then participate in the final round together with students from other countries;

(d) CIDA-E has participated in the Subcommittee on Issues of Policy Concerning Communications with Extraterrestrial Intelligence of the Committee on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence;

(e) As an institutional member of the International Astronautical Federation, CIDA-E assisted in the drafting of a document entitled "Space for the World", prepared by the American Astronautical Society, which presents the collective vision of nations as regards identifying international cooperation priorities in the development of the space sector for the benefit of all peoples of the world.

In 1998, the Space Technology Advisory Committee was set up with the tasks of conducting a survey of the current situation in Uruguay with regard to the utilization of space technology, formulating the framework of a national space plan and promoting projects to that end.

One of the projects being promoted by the Space Technology Advisory Committee is the CREPADUR project, the aim of which is to set up a centre for receiving, processing, archiving and disseminating Earth observation data in Uruguay, whose establishment will be supported by the Spanish Agency for International Cooperation and the National Institute of Aeronautical Technology of Spain. It will be possible to implement this project in areas such as the environment, natural resources, crop monitoring, desertification and water quality without the need to request all the information from other countries. The information will be received via two satellites (advanced very high resolution radiometer (AVHRR) and the sea-viewing wide field of view sensor (SeaWiFS)), which will provide land and sea data such as water and ground temperature, vegetation indicators and chlorophyll content of marine algae.