BRAZIL SPACE AGENCY SPECULATES ON A FUTURE WITH NASA

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000586

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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: TSPA KSCA BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL SPACE AGENCY SPECULATES ON A FUTURE WITH NASA


1. SUMMARY
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In recent media interviews, Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) President
Sergio Gaudenzi is speaking more openly about why Brazil's first
astronaut, Lt. Col. Marcos Cesar Pontes is flying with the Russians.
Pontes is now scheduled to fly on March 30 with Russian astronaut
Pavel Vinogradov and American astronaut Jeffrey Williams.

End summary.


2. In a March 12th interview with O Estado de Sao Paulo, Brazilian
Space Agency (AEB) President Sergio Gaudenzi implied that one of the
motives behind the decision to fly with the Russians was their
willingness to accept him, claiming that otherwise Brazil would have
had to "start all over, with another astronaut."

Even though Brazil is not expected to gain anything technologically
with this flight, AEB President Gaudenzi said he considers the money
spent as crucial to the development of Brazil's national space
program.


3. The Brazilian newspaper Estado de Sao Paulo reports things
differently. It reported that the low price Brazil paid to Russia
(US$ 10.5 million) for the space flight of a Brazilian astronaut was
not just a friendly gesture. The Russian government considers
Pontes' flight the first stage of cooperation between the two
nations in the space sector, cooperation which will include
negotiations to use the Alcantara facility for the launching of
Russian commercial satellites. The story said that according to
Moscow, the Brazilian base needs about US$ 300 million in
investments to become a launching center and the Russians are
considering providing some financial assistance.

Speaking of first flights, Gaudenzi indicated that both the Russians
and Brazilians consider Santos Dumont the first in flight (in 1901)
and not the Wright Brothers (in 1903) which is why this year in
space flight is important - it marks the centennial anniversary of
Santos' first powered flight in Europe (1906).


4. Future Cooperation with NASA

Several media articles imply that the future of U.S. - Brazilian
space cooperation is dependent upon U.S. willingness to reengage
under the conditions of their original 1997 agreement whereby Brazil
would send a man to space in exchange for Brazilian contributions to
the ISS. Pontes has reportedly stated his intentions to fly on an
American flight to space in 2009, saying the flight was in the
participation agreement of the space station in exchange for
Brazil's contributions of platelets for batteries and experiments to
the ISS. Pontes stated to the Folha de Sao Paulo that he expects to
return to his training at NASA after his space flight and won't rest
until Brazil has turned in the first piece they were committed to
contributing to the space station. Once the pieces are turned in,
nothing but political will and the imminent retirement of two
American spaceships in 2010 will stand between Pontes and a second
flight.

Gaudenzi blamed the switch from a NASA sponsored flight to a Russian
flight on a reduction of the Brazilian contribution to the original
agreement and spacecraft accidents that paralyzed NASA flights for
two years.

Gaudenzi said future cooperation with Russia is assured by this rush
to space, but should not be seen as taken at the expense of
cooperation with the U.S.

LINEHAN