Last week cooperation agreement was signed by Vitaly Artukhov - head of ministry of natural resources and Yuri Koptev - head of Russian aerospace agency.
Last week cooperation agreement was signed by Vitaly Artukhov - head of natural resources ministry and Yuri Koptev - head of Russian aerospace agency. According to this agreement ministry will be supplied with the data of the earth monitoring from space. Special space equipment and means of observation, which aerospace agency has on its disposal, will carry out monitoring.
Close cooperation between two organizations will allow carrying out evaluation of the mineral, water and wood resources on the new basis and control environment condition. "This agreement saves a lot of money for the state. Application of space equipment for environment monitoring is much cheaper than application of planes for the same purposes. And strict control over natural resources protection will help us to preserve our country"s treasures"- said Vitaly Artukhov, minister of natural resources.
From the middle of 2001 ministry started modernization of the network of signal reception stations from domestic and foreign satellites. Centres in Moscow, Yakutsk, Ekaterinburg were put into operation. Irkutsk and Yudznosakhalinsk stations were renovated. The fact is, that all spaceshots, received by the ministry can be used as evidence - photos, where cases of chemical wastes discharge, illegal wells drilling (there are many of them in Chechnia) etc. are depicted are valid in any court.
In future, ministry of natural resources and Russian aerospace agency are intended to create constantly operating coordination board that will ensure fruitful cooperation of all involved departments.
source: "Rossiyskaya gazeta" , 14.06.2002