Brazilian Space Agency

Brazilian ministries
name = Brazilian Space Agency
Agência Espacial Brasileira


imagesize = 180px
established = 10 February 1994 [ [http://www.planalto.gov.br/ccivil_03/Leis/L8854.htm Presidency of Brazil: Law 8.854 "That creates the Brazilian Space Agency, and other measures".] ]
"smaller|(formerly the Brazilian space program, 1961-1993)"
command_structure = Ministry of Science and Technology
operational_center = Alcântara Launch Center
director = Sergio Gaudenzi
budget = $213 million smaller|(2008) [National Congress of Brazil. [http://www2.camara.gov.br/internet/orcamentobrasil/orcamentouniao/loa/loa2008/proposta/Volume4/24_ciencia_tecn.pdf "2008 Federal Budget: Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira)."] (pp. 208-213).]
website = [http://www.aeb.gov.br www.aeb.gov.br]
footnotes =

The Brazilian Space Agency (Portuguese: "Agência Espacial Brasileira"; AEB) is the civilian authority in Brazil that is in charge of the country's burgeoning space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. The agency has given Brazil a leading role in space in the Latin American region, and has made Brazil into a valuable and dependable partner for cooperation in the International Space Station [ [http://www.daviddarling.info/encyclopedia/B/Brazilian_Space_Agency.html The Internet Encyclopedia of Science: Brazilian Space Agency] ] .

The Brazilian Space Agency is the heir to Brazil's space program. Previously, the program had been under the control of the Brazilian military; the program was transferred into 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 on 23 October 2004 from the Alcântara Launch Center; it was a VSB-30 launched on a sub-orbital mission. Several other successful launches have followed. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3948531.stm BBC World: Brazil Launches rocket into space] ] [ [http://www.space.com/missionlaunches/brazil_launch_041023.html Space.com: Brazil completes successful rocket launch] ] [ [http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/19/america/LA-GEN-Brazil-Rocket.php Herald Tribune: Brazil launches rocket for gravity research] ]

On March 30, 2006, AEB astronaut Marcos Pontes became the first Brazilian and the first native Portuguese-speaking person to go into space, where he stayed on the International Space Station for a week. During his trip, Pontes carried out eight experiments selected by the Brazilian Space Agency. He landed in Kazakhstan on April 8, 2006, with the crew of Expedition 12. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4859622.stm BBC World: First Brazilian goes into space] ]

The Brazilian Space Agency has pursued a policy of joint technological development with more advanced space programs. Initially it relied heavily on the United States, but after meeting difficulties from them on technological transfers, Brazil has branched out, working with other nations, including Ukraine, Israel, Argentina and China.

References

ee also

*Federal institutions of Brazil
*List of space disasters
*Brazilian National Institute for Space Research - INPE
*Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA)
*Aeronautics Technological Institute (ITA)
* Marcos Pontes, the first Brazilian in space

External links

* [http://www.aeb.gov.br/ Official site in Portuguese]
* [http://www.mrree.gub.uy/iiicea/PAISES/Brasil/Brazilian%20Space%20Program98.htm An article on the agency]