ERS data dissemination using VSAT systems

Dissemination of data and images produced by Earth Resource Sensing satellites must be distributed quickly to users in order to provide up-to-date information. The urgency and quantity of data associated with such information products are incompatible with existing mail services and facsimile or data networks. The paper describes the system requirements and architecture of a data distribution system, using very small aperture terminals (VSAT), which provides a solution to the problems associated with reception of bulk data products from the Earth Observation programmes