The United States and Peru have signed a remote sensing agreement, which will help both countries further their technological developments and research initiatives in Earth observations. 

The agreement is being facilitated through the Group on Earth Observations and is expected to aid all of humanity. 

“International cooperation and collaboration like this joint initiative with our partners in Peru is what scientific advancement is all about. Facilitating access and utilizing shared resources among a dynamic range of governmental and industry partners, as we’re doing with CONIDA and the PeruSAT-1 satellite platform, is how the global scientific community advances discovery for the betterment of humanity around the world,” Dr. David Applegate, associate director for natural hazards exercising the delegated authority of the director, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), said in a USGS press release.

The agreement signifies the special relationship between the Republic of Peru and the U.S. and their commitment to making important observations about the Earth.

“The signing of this agreement greatly benefits the institution and our stakeholders because it allows us to provide the data processing service to all the institutions at the national level," said FAP Maj. Gen. José Antonio García Morgan, institutional head of CONIDA.

CONIDA is helping the USGS with using PerúSAT-1 to collect data over Alaska. It is anticipated that it will aid the USGS Alaska Mapping Initiative, which tracks natural hazards in Alaska. 

According to Airbus, “PerúSAT-1 is based on Airbus's Defense and Space's AstroBus-S platform: the latest generation of high-end satellites designed for a 10-year lifetime. It observes the Earth through the a high-resolution optical NAOMI imager, designed and developed by Airbus Defense and Space. This silicon carbide optical instrument provides imagery in high or very-high resolution.”

Launched in 2016, PerúSAT-1 is the first satellite of its kind in Peru.