Federal deputies from the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission visited COPE’s facilities in Brasília (DF) on Tuesday (15/08)
Air Force Agency, by Lieutenant Flávia Rocha
With the aim of getting to know the Brazilian Air Force’s (FAB) Space Operations up close, a delegation of parliamentarians from the Science, Technology and Innovation Commission visited the facilities of the Space Operations Center (COPE) in Brasília (DF) on Tuesday (15/08). The visit also sought to strengthen relations between the Federal Legislative Branch and the Air Force Command (COMAER).
The authorities were received by the Commander of Aerospace Operations (COMAE), Air Brigadier Hudson Costa Potiguara, and attended a presentation by COPE, Air Brigadier Rodrigo Alvim de Oliveira.
On the occasion, the COMAE Commander stressed that space activity is extremely important for the country, as it encompasses not only strategic military needs, but above all the demands of Brazilian society. After all, countless everyday actions are linked to satellites, such as the use of cell phones, TVs and computers. “Space activity ranges from the production of fuel and rockets, which Brazil already does, to the development of satellites with high technological capacity,” added Lieutenant Brigadier Potiguara.
Brigadier Rodrigo explained that the Space Operations Center uses technology synergistically to meet the demands of various federal government agencies. For example, satellite images are sources of information for strategic decision-making throughout the national territory; in locating targets; in disaster support; in detecting forest fires; in environmental inspection activities; in public security planning; among other missions.
“Among the products or services provided, we can mention the monitoring of deforestation areas, at the request of the Management and Operational Center of the Amazon Protection System [CENSIPAM]; the monitoring of illegal fishing and detection of oil at sea, at the request of the Brazilian Navy; in addition to countless other services such as space weather monitoring; space situational awareness to support safe space activities; etc.”, explained the Head of COPE.
The delegation included Congresswoman Luísa Canziani (from Paraná), chair of the Committee on Science, Technology and Innovation; as well as Congressmen Lucas Ramos (from Pernambuco); Daniel Almeida (from Bahia); and Marco Brasil (from Paraná); and legislative aides.
According to Congresswoman Luísa, the visit was extremely gratifying for the members of the Science, Technology and Innovation Committee, as they were able to understand how the Space Operations Center works. “We have undoubtedly seen that very competent work is being carried out here, so that we can have a Brazil with more and more opportunities, generating more economic development and reducing our social inequalities,” she said.
The Science, Technology and Innovation Committee analyzes and debates, among other issues, national science and information technology policies, cooperation with other countries and international organizations and technological development.
On the occasion, the Head of the Parliamentary and Institutional Relations Office of the Air Force Command (ASPAER), Air Brigadier Reginaldo Pontirolli, highlighted the importance of the visit. “It helped to answer the parliamentarians’ questions and strengthen institutional relations between the FAB and the Chamber of Deputies,” said the General Officer.
COPE
COPE was inaugurated in 2020, in partnership with the state-owned company Telecomunicações Brasileiras S.A. (Telebras), to serve as the control center for the Geostationary Defense and Strategic Communications Satellite (SGDC) and with the possibility of controlling several geostationary and low-orbit satellites. COPE’s facilities were designed with a high level of security and network availability, becoming a benchmark for complexity and modernity.
Providing services for civilian and military applications and operating with full reliability, COPE is capable of continuous operation in the most diverse scenarios. In May 2022, the Space Operations Center launched the first satellites of Project Lessonia – 1. The two Remote Sensing Radar (SRR) satellites, called Carcará I and Carcará II, were launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral in the United States.
Photos: Sergeant Viegas/CECOMSAER