Brazil Successfully Launches Its First Rocket To Space

thatshortkid writes "The Washington Times is reporting on Brazil's first successful space launch. Since it is closer to the equator, the task of getting up to space is easier, meaning much more cargo room over fuel. Hello commercial launch market! With this development, along with China's expanding space program, India making moves to space, and our own homegrown (ok, still growing) private space industry, where does this put NASA? Does it take a load off of them to pursue bigger endeavors, or will NASA slowly decline in relevance?"

NASA still has an important role.

[reporter]

We should allow private enterprise to develop space travel. The free market (notwithstanding the Mexican government intervention generating hordes of illegal aliens flooding into the USA) has repeatedly shown that it is better at creating commercial solutions than the public sector.

The government should, in general, exit the free market and should stop funding technology projects. The only role that government should play is in funding pure-science projects. Commercial companies do not have the spare change or time horizon (i.e. shareholders expecting results each quarter) to invest in studying, for example, "The Theory of Everything".

Thus, NASA still has a role. NASA should focus on long-term projects like sending exploratory probes or people to Mars. The American government should spread its largesse to the physics department at top universities. Supporting the pure sciences requires government support.

By the way, exiting the free market also means that the American government should force the Mexican government, the Chinese government, and the Indian government out of the free market and should force them to enforce Western standards of human rights, workers' rights, and environmental and consumer protection, shutting down the H-1B program. If they do not comply, then we kick the Mexicans, the Chinese, and the Indians out of the American market. Free trade means that that we trade only with other nations who support free trade.

Why did they choose this type of rocket?

[Anonymous Coward]

I have heard a lot about how you can save on fuel by flying an airplane as high as possible and launching a much smaller rocket from the air into space. If you recall, this is exactly what the Space Ship One team did to win the X Prize. Would anyone happen to know why we don't see more nations investing on this technology? It sounds like a better solution for commercial launches. Why China, India, and Brazil insist on investing on this "land-to-space" type of rockets?

Re:Confused

[Chocolate Teapot]

Which makes me wonder why NASA doesn't launch from Guam, which at only 12 degrees 75 minutes north is, as far as I know, the closest US territory to the equator. They already have two air force bases there (Anderson and another which I can't be bothered to look up). Do you think it is because of environmental concerns or simply the logistical effort required to ship all the hardware to the midle of the Pacific?

It does not make it easier to get to space

[Anonymous Coward]

Being near the equator doesn't make getting into space easier. However, it does make it easier to get into a low-inclination orbit. Polar orbits are actually harder from the equator.

(Note to other commenters: The business about the Earth's equatorial bulge is mostly a red herring. Launching from a mountain or a plateau would have a much stronger effect, but no-one really bothers to do that.)

Re:Third World

[gl4ss]

no it wouldn't.

besides.. this is a social program of sorts.. it's meant to generate money AND jobs.. a stable source of income - THAT'S what helps people.

Now every second country...

[A beautiful mind]

...launches a space program, but honestly its nothing but fragmenting resources. Countries need to team up and do make ONE common space program. Its time to put away national pride, propaganda etc, because let's face it: a country in itself be it even the USA is small to run a space program. We need two things: the international science community to work together and nations to work together (giving funding to ONE common space program). We are 15 years after the cold war and we dont need to compete with other nations. Its high time the countries join together, create an international organization leading the project and start pumping money only there...this organization should work on developing all the new stuff and pioneering space travel and aswell trying to figure out how to formalize commercial space travel, we do need some rules and regulations in it. I can imagine it like an international agreement signed by the countries who would like to let companies into space. Well i dont expect this to happen all at once, but -imo- this is the logical thing to do.

Did i mention the expression space program yet? ;)

Re:Pretty quick comeback.

[Anonymous Coward]

Quite a few think the CIA had something to do with it - leftover distrust from the era of military rule)

You do know that Alcantara (where the rocket was launched from) is controlled by Americans, don't you? But it seems taht our (Brazil's) current governement will (or already did) cancel that contract.

Re:Boom in Brazil

[asadodetira]

Please refrain of using the word boom when referring to Brazil's rockets. The previous launch attempt ended exactly in that (boom) with some loss of life too

The picture isn't what it looks like

[gustgr]

I am glad this finally happened. I am Brazilian and I know that our country can (and it does) produce great brilliant minds and top scientists. Even NASA has numerous Brazilian scientists.

The problem have always relied on the government support. Brazilian Govt. is very very corrupt, and most of the money that should be spent on science and technology ends in Switzerland, at some ilegal bank accounts from our beloved politicians.

That accident that ocurred a while ago is a proof. The crew involved with the project have donnated money from their own pockets to buy equipment and pieces of the VLS (Satellite Launcher Vehicle) that exploded.

I sincerely hope that this achievement will be the first of many others.

Congratulations to all Brazilian scientists that have been involved with this project.

Re:Argentina

[amorsen]

After the collapse, the Argentine economy has been growing at around 8% a year. That's what a recovery is supposed to look like. This seems to be mostly due to the fact that the Argentine government has decided to listen to everything the IMF tells them to do, and then do the exact opposite.

Check out Boeing's Sea Launch

[Anonymous Coward]

http://www.sea-launch.com/

This is a joint venture between Boeing, a Russian firm, a Norwegian firm, and a Ukrainian firm to launch satellites from a mobile platform (currently located in the port of Long Beach). The mobile platform is moved out to the equator along with a control boat and the satellite it launched.

Don't expect Burt to stop with his dinky toy

[leonbrooks]

He's already pretty much recouped the money from that already via the Ansari prize and Richard "I can make money off that" Branson's interest, so expect Burt Rutan, designer extraordinaire to take the cash flow from that and the follow-up projects (space mini-buses) and make maybe a fibreglass kit build-in-your-garage Shuttle replacement or a LEO commuter plane that flings out a space-bus/space-truck at apogee while amortising the cost with Dallas-to-Europe or New-York-to-Australia passengers on the launch vehicle.

Speaking of Branson, the whole SpaceShipOne experimental program so far has cost less than one single regular passenger jet. I'm expecting Richard to notice that and wonder if Burt can turn his hand to larger aircraft, and sponsor him to do so. It wouldn't shock me to see Burt slash the cost of an airliner and make it intrinsically safer, more economical and more visually interesting all in one hit. I'd expect him to start with a cargo plane and work out, but I think there's room for an immense amount of cross-pollination between his air-breathers and what he's learned from his space work.

Re:Third World

[Sayan]

Actually most space programs in India have very important developmental goals- The 40 year old Indian space effort is dedicated at improving telecommunications, weather reporting, education and the like. Weather reporting alone probably has resulted in saving millions of lives in India and its neighbouring countries (India gives satellite data to them free of cost).

Re:Guess this means

[John Murdoch]

Why not? We can invent an imminent threat from any country we want, why settle for the dirty, crapass countries half-way around the world? The facts have no bearing on this administration, so let's invade the countries with the best looking women first.

Ask a silly question, get a silly (but true) answer: There are McDonald's franchises in Brazil. The U.S. has never gone to war with any country that has a McDonald's.