A política espacial brasileira entre 1961-2012: a cooperação Brasil/Ucrânia e a empresa binacional Alcântara Cyclone Space

Abstract

This paper analyzes the reasons why Brazil and Ukraine builded the binational company Alcantara Cyclone Space (ACS), which aims at international marketing of satellite launches from Launch Center of Alcantara (LCA). Thus, sought to reflect on the feasibility of this partnership to the expected results by the two States. It is understood that cooperation between Brazil and Ukraine falls within the parameters of Brazilian South-South technical cooperation, where one can already see that this partnership changed the course trodden by the Brazilian space program, considering that Brazil (which does not have a rocket launch itself), joining with Ukraine, might as well join the group of countries that has a complete space program. We conclude that the need to address the limitations and the desire to compete in the space sector are moving to Brazil and Ukraine to join forces to keep the company ACS in activity and to continue in the process of cooperation, which is heading towards a breakthrough both technical (exchange of students and technicians from both countries) and technological (joint construction of the next rocket ACS, Cyclone-5). It is understood that the marketing of space services is the focus of the project ACS and intentions as technology transfer is part of the partnership as a possibility, but not as a reality.