The event was organised by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE) through its General Co-ordination of Earth Observation and the Latin-American Society of Specialists in Remote Sensing (SELPER) Brazilian Branch. Prior to the start of the actual symposium, thirteen courses were given during the weekend. Topics varied from sensor technology, such as Hyperspectral Remote Sensing to specific applications, such as GIS in Environmental Analysis and Optical Remote Sensing of Aquatic Environments.

Discussion Sessions
The opening ceremony included presentation of the book Remote Sensing and Advanced GIS by Dr Thomas Blaschke of the University of Salzburg, Austria and Dr Hermann Kux from INPE. Around six hundred papers were then presented in 42 oral technical sessions (257 papers) and three interactive poster sessions (345 papers). In addition, eleven workshops, five special sessions and two round-tables were held. The workshop themes included Advances in Hyperspectral Remote Sensing, Applications of MODIS Data, Use of Remote Sensing Data in Operational Oceanography and Monitoring and Forecasting. The themes of special sessions included The Brazilian Space Program and the China-Brazil Resource Satellite. Round-table discussions covered Remote Sensing Education and Remote Sensing Training for the Market. Poster sessions covered mainly applications of remote-sensing technology for a variety of purposes such as agriculture, urban analyses, geology, and oceanographic and coastal analysis.

Satellite Results
This was the first SBSR symposium since the launch of the CBERS 2 satellite in October 2003. In April 2004 INPE made CBERS images freely downloadable from the internet for the Brazilian remote sensing community. As a consequence, two hundred papers presented results based on the use of these images. Twelve private and public companies working in the field of remote sensing and GIS in Brazil took part in the Technical Exhibition.
In addition to the symposium, Dr Tania Maria Sausen and Dr Bernardo Rudorff of INPE gave a special lecture orientated at grammar and high-school teachers on the subject of the use of remote-sensing data as an educational resource. An image-map of Goiânia was specially developed using CBERS/CCD imagery for this lecture and the symposium, and 1,500 copies were distributed to schoolteachers and SBSR participants.

The symposium proceedings are available on CD and in book format (1,500 pages) (www.ltid.inpe. br/sbsr2005).