After more than thirty years stuck on the launchpad of the global space race, Australia is at last readying for liftoff to join the leading players with the expected launch of the powerful new ARIES-1 satellite in 2002.

The ARIES-1 project combines science and engineering from CSIRO, Auspace Ltd and the Australian Centre for Remote Sensing (ACRES) with the financial muscle of Macquarie Bank Ltd.

The ARIES-1 satellite is a spaceborne system able to scrutinise the Earth's resources with a level of detail and precision previously unattainable.

"It will map the composition of surface resources, be they forests, lakes, crops, soils or mineral deposits," says Mr Ted Stapinski, Chairman, ARIES Board.

"And it will do so with a far greater detail and colour resolution than any comparable existing satellite is capable of doing. This will give Australia a distinct edge in the use of space for commercial, resource and environmental mapping purposes."

Mr Stapinski says that ARIES will operate as a fully commercial venture. It will help to bolster the nation's export earnings from minerals and agriculture as well as keeping a closer watch over our unique environment.

"We also expect to generate substantial export earnings from the sale of information gathered by ARIES-1, as well as intellectual property, jobs and value-added business."

Just as important is the new understanding of the earth, and the insights provided by ARIES-1 that will help us to care for it better, he says.

CSIRO's Dr Jon Huntington says the heart of the ARIES-1 satellite is a highly sensitive spectrometer, capable of viewing the earth's surface across a far wider colour spectrum than today's broad-band satellites, and then analysing what it sees through unique image processing software.

ARIES-1 will circle the Earth in low orbit (450-500 kms), its hyperspectral imaging spectrometer scanning the surface in up to 105 bands covering the visible, near-infrared and shortwave infrared spectrum. Its sideways-looking system means it will examine any region once every 6-7 days.

By assembling a continuous spectral image of the earth passing below, scientists will be able to differentiate between the signatures of various minerals in the rocks and soil even mixed with moderate vegetation cover. In addition the satellite will be able to tell the difference between various kinds of vegetation, and its condition.

While its standard 15x15 km scene comprises patches of ground 30x30 metres, sophisticated software will enable the satellite to discern the mineral content of smaller areas, Dr Huntington says.

By studying this data, commercial users will be able to pinpoint new areas of interest for mineral exploration, monitor the state of forests, lakes and oceans, study the impact of urbanisation and agriculture on the earth's systems and forecast crop production with greater precision.

"Moreover it will do this continuously, for many years, so building up an increasingly precious archive of material about how the earth is changing, for use by future generations."

Particularly valuable, says Dr Huntington, will be the growing long-term record of climate change and how it affects Australia. This will help Federal, State and Local governments and other environmental and resource managers to make more informed decisions.

But having the same knowledge about the state of the planet will also enable Australia to play its part as a responsible global citizen and member of the international environmental community.

Mr Stapinski says that ARIES-1 will make Australia a global leader in the application of new generation satellite systems, and provide a foundation for growth in the nation's remote sensing industry.