OT: Brazilian Launch Facility

Loser · #1 August 22nd, 2003, 05:21 PM

I had no idea Brazil was working on a space program. I'm hoping Erax can come in here and enlighten me concerning its history and how Brazilians feel about it.

Erax · #2 August 22nd, 2003, 06:48 PM

Hi Loser. It's a good thing I caught this thread early on. I am no expert, but here's what I can tell you :

- Brazil is not working on a full-fledged space program. The idea is to have a fully operational launch site which can then be rented to other nations (AFAIK there are few other equatorial launch sites in the world, built or planned, so it's a BIG economic advantage).

- Once this phase is in place, income from the base can be used to develop and launch our own communications sattelites. Brazil is a BIG country, with all sorts of natural barriers separating everything, so all of our governments since the 60's have invested heavily in telecommunications.

- INPE and the Brazilian Air Force have participated in several of NASA's projects and also in Europe's Ariane project.

- Our air/spaceflight history is as long as yours. The Wright Brothers got their airplane in the air first, but they used a catapult. The world's first fully self-powered takeoff, flight and landing was performed by a Brazilian called Alberto Santos Dumont (link).

- I can't speak for all Brazilians, but I think most of them understand the need for investment in high-tech projects and the importance of having our own sattelites.

Loser · #3 August 22nd, 2003, 08:52 PM

Thanks Erax, I never knew (of course).

By the way, don't post again before you check your Profile.

Gozra · #4 August 22nd, 2003, 10:12 PM

I was saddened when I saw in the news today that the rocket that Brazil was preparing to launch blewup on the launch pad. I was really rooting for Brazil to get into the space race. We really need to get out there so we can get all the energy and raw materials we need and get Heavy industry off Earth so we can give this Planet a rest. An any one that expands our ablity to get us into space has my admiration.

oleg · #5 August 22nd, 2003, 11:54 PM

There are 25 fatalities, according to BBC. My condolences.

Rocket launch was and still is a very dangerous business. Basically, you mount hundreds tons of high explosives and then blow them up in controled fashion. The chance it goes off can never be a zero. US, Russia and France suffered setbacks and so will any other nation. Important thing is not give up and persevere.

That' make us humans, right ?

Erax · #6 August 23rd, 2003, 01:05 AM

Argh. This will set us years back. Funding for this project was meager before, now it's likely to dry up entirely.

Well, there's nothing I can do about it, other than feel sorry for the families of the victims.

Gozra, we aren't racing anyone, we just want to take our place in line behind the other space powers. Although the chances for that are slim to nonexistent now.

Maybe we try again in another 5 years.

Loser · #7 August 23rd, 2003, 05:27 PM

Condolences. Flying machines of all sorts are dangerous to use and sometimes just to be around, rockets even more so. Passenger or technician, those who deal with rocketry up close and personal are brave people, putting their lives on the line for noble purposes of their own choosing.

I was going to look up some data on Brazil (government, GNP, etc.) in the CIA world factbook, but I can't seem to get to cia.gov.... That's bad.

I'm sure it's up, perhaps score of gateways between us are down, or its IP is not what my DNS is telling me it is.... weird.

Makinus · #8 August 25th, 2003, 12:24 PM

Loser, i hope this helps:

Brazil

Government: Democratic Republic (Very similar with the US, with only minor differences).

Population: According to Last census 170 millions, but it was in 1991, today it is probably above 200 million.

Language: Portuguese (While we can understand perfectly the language spoken in Portugal and vice-versa, we have a lot of pronunciation and grammatical diferences)

Economy: Very high internal and external debt, that causes an stagnation in the economy, we desperatly need several reforms, mainly in the government spending (our government spends much more than it gains).

Advantages: Very rich in natural resources, south and southeast regions higly industrialized, very good climate.

Disvantages: Stagnant economy (see above), riches very poorly ditributed (a lot have nothing and a few have a lot), government corruption (being reduced, thanks to the press).

Any doubt, just ask me......

Loser · #9 August 25th, 2003, 02:30 PM

Thanks, Makinus. I finally managed to get to the Factbook and read up on Brazil a bit. It is very good to see the structure of your government and especially the divided legislature, absent from so many developed countries and world powers. I hope your people are able to deal with the corruption in government without abandoning your 1988 constitution.

I also admire the popular election of your president. I never much cared for the Electoral College in the U.S, since we assume the popular choice will be elected, indeed many states specify how their College member vote based on the popular vote and the number of such members is determined by population... so why is it not a popular vote? Not a big deal, but really...

Chronon · #10 August 25th, 2003, 04:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Loser:
I also admire the popular election of your president. I never much cared for the Electoral College in the U.S, since we assume the popular choice will be elected, indeed many states specify how their College member vote based on the popular vote and the number of such members is determined by population... so why is it not a popular vote? Not a big deal, but really...

I agree. And I think it is a big deal, because our Last presidential election would have turned out differently (and probably the Last three years of world politics, too) if our electoral system were like Brazil's.