Brazilian Space Agency
Template:Short description Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox Space agency
The Brazilian Space Agency (Template:Langx; AEB) is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara, and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. It is the largest and most prominent space agency in Latin America.
The Brazilian Space Agency is the institutional successor of Brazil's space program, which had been managed by the Brazilian military until its transfer to civilian control on 10 February 1994. It suffered a major setback in 2003, when a rocket explosion killed 21 technicians. Brazil successfully launched its first rocket into space, the VSB-30, on 23 October 2004 from the Alcântara Launch Center; several other successful launches have followed.<ref>BBC World: Brazil Launches rocket into space BBC News. Retrieved on 2009-07-30.</ref><ref>Space.com: Brazil completes successful rocket launch Template:Webarchive Space.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-30.</ref><ref>Herald Tribune: Brazil launches rocket for gravity research International Herald Tribune. Retrieved on 2009-07-30.</ref> Brazil was briefly a partner in the International Space Station, and in 2006, AEB astronaut Marcos Pontes became the first Brazilian and the first native Portuguese-speaker to go into space, when he arrived at the ISS for a week. During his trip, Pontes carried out eight experiments selected by the Brazilian Space Agency, including testing flight dynamics of saw blades in zero gravity environments. In June 2021, the AEB signed the Artemis Accords to the joint exploration of the Moon and Mars from 2024 as part of the Artemis program.<ref name="Brazil Signs Artemis Accords">Template:Cite web</ref>
History
Template:Further Template:Stack The then president Jânio Quadros in 1960 established a commission that elaborated a national program for the space exploration. As a result of this work, in August 1961, the Organization Group of the National Commission of Space Activities (Portuguese: Grupo de Organização da Comissão Nacional de Atividades Espaciais) was formed, operating in São José dos Campos, in the state of São Paulo. Its researchers participated in international projects in the areas of astronomy, geodesy, geomagnetism, and meteorology.Template:Citation needed
The GOCNAE was replaced in April 1971 by the Institute for Space Research, currently called the National Institute for Space Research (INPE). Since the creation of the then Technical Center of Aeronautics (CTA), the current Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA) of the Brazilian Air Force, in 1946, the country has been following the international progress in the aerospace sector.Template:Citation needed
With the creation of the Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA), a fully qualified institution was formed to train highly qualified human resources in areas of state-of-the-art technology. The DCTA, through the ITA and the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE), play a key role in the consolidation of the Brazilian space program.Template:Citation needed
In the early 1970s, the Brazilian Space Activities Commission (COBAE) was created - a body linked to the then General Staff of the Armed Forces (EMFA) - to coordinate and monitor the implementation of the space program. This coordinating role, in February 1994, was transferred to the Brazilian Space Agency. The creation of the AEB represents a change in government orientation by establishing a central coordinating body for the space program, reporting directly to the Presidency of the Republic.Template:Citation needed
In 2011, Argentina's defense minister, Arturo Puricelli, made a proposal to the Brazilian minister, Celso Amorim, for the creation of a unified South American space agency by the year 2025, according to the European Space Agency.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In 2015, however, the Brazilian Space Agency and the Ministry of Defense rejected the Argentine proposal "because it understood that it would be an organ that would yield a lot of bureaucracy and few results like the 'confederation' proposed by the United States and never came to anything" and also because, according to the agency's adviser: Template:Blockquote
Launch sites
Alcântara Space Center
The Alcântara Launch Center (Template:Langx; CLA) is the main launch site and operational center of the Brazilian Space Agency.<ref name="AEB-CLA">Centros de Lançamentos: CLA Template:Webarchive Brazilian Space Agency. Retrieved on 2009-07-30. Template:In lang</ref> It is located in the peninsula of Alcântara, in the state of Maranhão.<ref name="GS">Alcantara Launch Center (2°20'S; 44°24'W) GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2009-07-30.</ref> This region presents some excellent requirements, such as low population density, excellent security conditions and easiness of aerial and maritime access.<ref name="GS"/> The most important factor is its closeness to the Equator - Alcântara is the closest launching base to the Equator.<ref name="AEB-CLA"/> This gives the launch site a significant advantage in launching geosynchronous satellites.<ref name="AEB-CLA"/>
Barreira do Inferno Launch Center
The Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (Template:Langx; CLBI) is a rocket launch base of the Brazilian Space Agency.<ref>Barreira do Inferno Launch Center GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2009-07-30.</ref> It is located in the city of Parnamirim, in the state of Rio Grande do Norte. It is primarily used to launch sounding rockets and to support the Alcântara Launch Center.<ref>Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno Template:Webarchive Brazilian Space Agency. Retrieved on 2009-07-30. Template:In lang</ref>
Launch vehicles
Sounding rockets
The Brazilian Space Agency has operated a series of sounding rockets.
- Sonda I
- Sonda II
- Sonda III
- Sonda IV
- VSB-30
- VS-30
- VS-40
- VS-50 (projected, will use the new S-50 rocket engine)
VLM
Brazil has forged a cooperative arrangement with Germany to develop a dedicated micro-satellite launch vehicle. As a result, the VLM "Veiculo Lançador de Microsatelites" (Microsatellite Launch Vehicle) based on the S50 rocket engine is being studied, with the objective of orbiting satellites up to 150 kg in circular orbits ranging from 250 to 700 km. The first qualifying and test flight will be on 2022 from the Alcântara Space Center.<ref name="pa-20201007">Template:Cite web</ref> The second flight is scheduled for the following years as part of the SHEFEX mission, to be conducted also from Alcântara, in partnership with the German Aerospace Center (DLR).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
VLS
Template:Main The VLS - Satellite Launch Vehicle (Template:Langx) was the Brazilian Space Agency's main satellite launch vehicle.<ref>Veículos Lançadores: VLS Template:Webarchive Brazilian Space Agency. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref> It is a four-stage rocket composed of a core and four strap-on motors.<ref name="IES">VLS (Brazilian rocket) The Internet Encyclopedia of Science. Retrieved on 2009-07-29.</ref> The vehicle's first stage has four solid fuel motors derived from the Sonda sounding rockets.<ref name="IES"/> It is intended to deploy 100 to 380 kg satellites into 200 to 1200 km orbit, or to deploy 75 to 275 kg payloads into 200 to 1000 km polar orbit.<ref name="IES"/> The first 3 prototypes for the vehicle failed to launch, with the 3rd exploding on the launch pad in 2003 resulting in the deaths of 21 AEB personnel.
The VLS-1 V4 prototype was expected a launch in 2013.<ref name="FAB">Saiba como está o projeto Veículo Lançador de Satélite (VLS) Brazilian Air Force. Retrieved on 2012-03-06. Template:In lang.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After subsequent delays, the project was cancelled in 2016.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Southern Cross program
The Brazilian Space Agency was developing a new family of launch vehicles in cooperation with the Russian Federal Space Agency.<ref name="SpaceDaily">Russia Begins Elbowing Ukraine Out From Brazil's Space Program SpaceDaily.com. Retrieved on 2009-07-29.</ref><ref>Brasil e Rússia, juntos em órbita e na exploração espacial Template:Webarchive Estadão. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref><ref>Programa Cruzeiro do Sul Template:Webarchive DefesaBR. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref> The five rockets of the Southern Cross family will be based on Russia's Angara vehicle and liquid-propellant engines.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/>
The first stage of the VLS Gama, Delta and Epsilon rockets was to be powered by a unit based on the RD-191 engine.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> The second stage, which will be the same for all the Southern Cross rockets, will be driven by an engine based on the Molniya rocket.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> The third stage will be a solid-propellant booster based on an upgraded version of the VLS-1.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> The program was named "Southern Cross" in reference to the Crux constellation, present on the flag of Brazil and composed of five stars.<ref name="CTA">Programa de Veículos Lançadoeres de Satélites Cruzeiro do SulTemplate:Dead link Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref> Hence the names of the future launch vehicles:<ref name="CTA"/>
- VLS Alfa (light-weight rocket)
The first rocket to be developed. As a direct modification of the VLS-1 of the original project, replacing the fourth and fifth stages by a single liquid fuel engine. It can place payloads in the range 200–400 kg in orbits up to 750 km.
- VLS Beta (light-weight rocket)
Consisting of three stages without auxiliary thrusters. The first stage is a solid fuel propellant 40 tons, the second will have 30 tons of thrust engine and the latter will be 7.5 tons of thrust, with the same mixture "Kerolox". It can place payloads up to 800 kg in orbits up to 800 km.
- VLS Gama (light-weight rocket)
The VLS Gama launcher is part of the light-weight class, but using the near-equatorial position of the Alcântara Launch Center, it can place almost 1 ton of payload into orbit up to 800 km.
- VLS Delta (medium-weight rocket)
The VLS Delta launcher is a medium-weight rocket and differs from the Gamma by having four solid-propellant boosters attached to the first stage.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> Its payload deliverable to a geostationary orbit is 2 tons.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/>
- VLS Epsilon (heavy-weight rocket)
The VLS Epsilon launcher is a heavy-weight rocket with three identical units attached to the first stage.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> It can place a 4 tons spacecraft in geostationary orbit, if it is launched from Alcântara.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/>
The Brazilian government was planning to allocate $1 billion dollars for the project over six years.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> It has already set aside $650 million for the construction of five launch pads able to handle up to 12 launches per year.<ref name="SpaceDaily"/> The program was scheduled to be completed by 2022.<ref name="CTA"/> However, it was cancelled by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff. Instead, Brazil will focus on a series of smaller launch vehicles that appear to rely more on home-grown technology.
14-X
Brazil is also investing in the domain of the hypersonic technology. The 14-X, a hypersonic glide vehicle (HGV) under development with the Brazilian Air Force, was conceived in 2007 and launched on 14 February 2022,<ref name="planned flight 1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="planned flight 2">Template:Cite web</ref> by a VSB-30 rocket, reaching to 100,000 feet of altitude and a maximum speed of Mach 10.<ref name ="gizmodo">Template:Cite web</ref>
Engines
A number of different engines<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> were developed for usage on the several launch vehicles:
- S-10-1 solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 1. Thrust: 27 kN.
- S-10-2 solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 1. Thrust: 4.20 kN, burn time: 32 s.
- S-20 Avibras solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 2 and Sonda 3. Thrust:36 kN
- S-23 Avibrassolid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 3M1. Thrust:18 kN
- S-30 IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 3, Sonda 3M1, Sonda 4, VS-30, VS-30/Orion and VSB-30. Thrust: 20.490 kN
- S-31 IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on VSB-30. Thrust: 240 kN
- S-40TM IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on VLS-R1, VS-40, VLS-1 and VLM-1. Thrust: 208.4 kN, isp=272s.
- S-43 IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on Sonda 4, VLS-R1 and VLS-1. Thrust: 303 kN, isp=265s
- S-43TM IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on VLS-R1, VLS-1 and VLM. Thrust: 321.7 kN, isp=276s
- S-44 IAE solid rocket engine.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Used on VLS-R1, VS-40, VLS-1 and VLM-1. Thrust:33.24 kN, isp=282s
- L5 (Estágio Líquido Propulsivo (EPL)) liquid fuel rocket engine. Tested on VS-30 and projected for use on VLS-Alfa.<ref name="aeb.gov.br">Template:Cite web</ref>
- L15 liquid fuel rocket engine. Projected for use on VS-15.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Thrust: 15 kN
- L75 liquid fuel rocket engine, similar to the Russian RD-0109.<ref name="ecsbdefesa.com.br">Template:Cite web</ref> Projected for use on VLS-Alfa, VLS-Beta, VLS-Omega, VLS-Gama and VLS-Epsilon. Thrust: 75 kN
- S-50 IAE solid rocket engine. Projected for use on VLM-1 and VS-50.<ref name="aeb.gov.br"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
- L1500 liquid fuel rocket engine.<ref name="ecsbdefesa.com.br"/> Used on VLS-Beta, VLS-Omega, VLS-Gama and VLS-Epsilon. Thrust: 1500 kN
Satellites
The Brazilian Space Agency has several active satellites in orbit including imagery intelligence, military communications, reconnaissance and Earth observation satellites. Several others are currently in development.
Human spaceflight
Marcos Pontes, a lieutenant colonel in the Brazilian Air Force, is an astronaut of the Brazilian Space Agency.<ref name="HumanSpaceflight">AEB: Human Spaceflight GlobalSecurity.org. Retrieved on 2011-01-17.</ref> Pontes was the first Brazilian astronaut,<ref name="NASABio">Astronaut Bio: Marcos C. Pontes. Template:Webarchive NASA. Retrieved on 2011-01-17.</ref> having launched with the Expedition 13 crew from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on March 29, 2006, aboard a Soyuz-TMA spacecraft.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Pontes docked with the International Space Station (ISS) on March 31, 2006, where he lived and worked for 9 days.<ref name="NASABio" /> Pontes returned to Earth with the Expedition 12 crew, landing in Kazakhstan on April 8, 2006.<ref name="NASABio" /> In January 2019, Pontes was nominated by the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as Minister of Science, Technology, Innovation and Communication, a position he held until 2022.
| Name | Position | Time in space | Launch date | Mission | Mission insignia | Status | |
| File:Marcos Pontes2.jpg | Marcos Pontes | Mission Specialist | 9d 21h 17m | March 30, 2006 | Soyuz TMA-8 Missão Centenário Soyuz TMA-7 |
Active, on stand-by |
.png){kind=link}
Brazilian aerospace command
Template:Main The Aerospace Operations Command (Template:Langx - COMAE) is a Brazilian air and space command created in 2017<ref name="COMAE 1">Template:Cite news</ref> which is part of the Brazilian Air Force. The command is responsible for planning, coordinating, executing and controlling the country's air and space operations.<ref name="COMAE 2">Template:Cite news</ref> The Brazilian Navy and Brazilian Army also are part of the organization.
Space operations center
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The Space Operations Center (Portuguese: Centro de Operações Espaciais, acronym COPE) is a facility established in 2020 subordinated to the Aerospace Operations Command, with the objective of operating and supervising the Brazilian satellites.<ref name="SGDC">Template:Cite web</ref>
Bingo radio telescope
The Bingo radio telescope called Baryon Acoustic Oscillations from Integrated Neutral Gas Observations,<ref name="Bingo">Template:Cite web</ref> is a project coordinated by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Brazilian Space Agency, National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and international partners from Europe and China. The telescope will consist of two giant dishes, with 40 meters of diameter each, which will receive radiation from the space and project their spectrum in a series of metal detectors, called horns. Bingo will perform its detections in the radio band in the range of 960 to 1260 MHZ.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> 80% of the Bingo parts came from the Brazilian industry.<ref name="Bingo"/>
International cooperation
China/CBERS
China and Brazil have successfully cooperated in the field of space.<ref name=":03">Template:Cite book</ref>Template:Rp Among the most successful space cooperation projects were the development and launch of earth monitoring satellites.<ref name=":03" />Template:Rp The China–Brazil Earth Resources Satellite program (CBERS) is a technological cooperation program between Brazil and China which develops and operates Earth observation satellites. Brazil and China negotiated the CBERS project during two years (1986–1988), renewed in 1994 and again in 2004. As of 2023, the two countries have jointly developed six China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellites.<ref name=":03" />Template:Rp These projects have helped both Brazil and China develop their access to satellite imagery and promoted remote sensing research.<ref name=":03" />Template:Rp Brazil and China's cooperation is a unique example of South-South cooperation between two developing countries in the field of space.<ref name=":03" />Template:Rp
International Space Station
The Brazilian Space Agency is a bilateral partner of NASA in the International Space Station.<ref name="NASA">NASA Signs International Space Station Agreement With Brazil Template:Webarchive NASA. Retrieved on 2011-01-17.</ref> The agreement for the design, development, operation and use of Brazilian developed flight equipment and payloads for the Space Station was signed in 1997.<ref name="NASA" /> It includes the development of six items, among which are a Window Observational Research Facility and a Technology Experiment Facility.<ref name="HumanSpaceflight" /> In return, NASA will provide Brazil with access to its ISS facilities on-orbit, as well as a flight opportunity for one Brazilian astronaut during the course of the ISS program.<ref name="NASA" /> However, due to cost issues, the subcontractor Embraer was unable to provide the promised ExPrESS pallet, and Brazil left the programme in 2007.<ref name="Emerson Kimura 2009">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> However, as a compromise, NASA have funded small Brazilian-made components for the Express Logistics Carrier-2 for the ISS, which were installed in 2009.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Ukraine/Ciclone 4
On October 21, 2003, the Brazilian Space Agency and the State Space Agency of Ukraine established a cooperation agreement creating a joint venture space enterprise called Alcântara Cyclone Space.<ref>Ucrânia Template:Webarchive Defesa BR. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref> The new company will focus on launching satellites from the Alcântara Launch Center using the Tsyklon-4 rocket.<ref>Brazil-Ukraine joint venture space company eyes global satellite launch market; to start operations this year GIS News. Retrieved on 2009-07-29.</ref> The company will invest $160 million dollars in infrastructure for the new launch pad that will be constructed at the Alcântara Launch Center.
In March 2009, the Brazilian Government increased its financial capital by US$ 50 million.<ref>Autoriza o aumento de capital social da Empresa Binacional Alcântara Cyclone Space Presidency of Brazil. Retrieved on 2009-07-29. Template:In lang</ref>
The first launch was planned for 2014 from the Alcantara Launch Center.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Brazil pulled out of the program in 2015.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Japan
On November 8, 2010, National Institute for Space Research (INPE) and Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) signed a Letter of Intent regarding the Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in Developing Countries (REDD+) program.<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> Examples of the cooperation include the monitoring of illegal logging in the Amazon rainforest utilizing data from JAXA's ALOS satellite. Both Brazil and Japan are members of the Global Precipitation Measurement project.<ref>BRAZILIAN PARTICIPANTS IN GPM GPM-Br 2010. Retrieved on 2015-08-20.</ref>
Artemis program
On 21 October 2020, Brazil was invited by the United States to join NASA's Artemis Space Program.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 15 June 2021, the country officially joined the program by signing the Artemis Accords with the U.S. and international partners, for the joint exploration of the Moon from 2024 and Mars and beyond in 2030s. The roles of Brazil include the development of a national lunar robot for the use in the future missions.<ref name="Brazil Signs Artemis Accords"/>
BRICS satellite constellation
On 18 August 2021, AEB signed cooperation agreements with space agencies of BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), to the joint-development of a remote sensing satellite constellation,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> aiming to help with common challenges for the mankind such as the climate change, major disasters and environmental protection. Ground stations located in Cuiabá in Brazil, Moscow Region in Russia, Shadnagar–Hyderabad in India, Sanya in China and Hartebeesthoek in South Africa will receive data from the satellite constellation.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
See also
- Aerospace Operations Command Brazilian space command
- Alcântara Space Center (CEA)
- National Institute for Space Research (INPE)
- Aerospace Technology and Science Department (DCTA)
- Technological Institute of Aeronautics (ITA)
- Embraer S.A. (Brazilian aerospace and defense conglomerate)
- Avibras (Brazilian aerospace and defense company)
- List of government space agencies
- List of Brazilian satellites
References
External links
Template:Brazil space program Template:Public sector space agencies