Digital rendering of CBERS 4 satellite. Photo: Brazilian Space Agency (AEB)

[Via Satellite 06-19-2014] Odebrecht Defense and Technology (ODT) and its subsidiary Mectron shipped the third Digital Data Recorder (DDR) model for the fourth China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS 4) to China to be integrated onto the spacecraft. The DDR is the first device of its kind to be completely developed and manufactured in Brazil, and will be responsible for storage of Earth imagery captured by the satellite.

The DDR is composed of a tape recorder solid state with five channels for image storage capacity and a unit for switching signals. The instrument will temporarily store images until the satellite makes contact with the ground control station, at which point the images are made available to the transmitters. These images will be used for monitoring deforestation, water resources, agriculture, urban growth, land use and other purposes.

The satellite is set to be completed in September, with a launch scheduled for December from the launch base in the Sanxi province of China.