The board of AIAB (Aerospace Industries Association of Brazil) discussed strategic issues for the country at a meeting with representatives of the DCTA (Department of Aerospace Science and Technology) in São José dos Campos (SP).
The meeting took place on October 10 and was attended by Julio Shidara, president of AIAB, and Jadir Gonçalves, vice-president and coordinator of the Association’s Space Committee and managing partner of member Fibraforte.
Representing the DCTA were Brigadier Engineer Luciano Valentim Rechiuti, Head of the Technical Subdepartment, Colonel Carlos Alberto de Sousa, Head of the Institutional Relations Office, and Colonel Paulo Junzo Hirasawa, Deputy of the Executive Project Management Office.
Brazilian GPS
Among the topics discussed during the more than an hour and a half meeting was the “Brazilian GPS”, which was the subject of a recent Bill (PL 4569/2023), authored by Senator Styvenson Valentim – the text creates the Brazilian Global Positioning System Development Program. AIAB supports this important project for Brazil and has made itself entirely available to contribute to any actions related to the project that may be established by the governance of the Brazilian Space Program (PEB).
“In the USA, for example, a possible interruption of the GPS (Global Positioning System) system would affect 14 out of a total of 16 infrastructure systems considered critical for the country and would cause a daily loss of up to USD 1.5 billion if the interruption occurred during a critical period for its agriculture. In Brazil, the situation should be no different. Brazil needs to mitigate this vulnerability, just as countries like Japan and India have already done and countries like the United Arab Emirates and Turkey intend to do,” said Shidara.
New launcher
Another important topic discussed was DCTA’s indispensable support for the companies that will be contracted for the Small Launch Vehicle (SLLV) project by the Financier of Studies and Projects (FINEP).
“We were very pleased to receive the news that more than one proposal classified by FINEP would be contracted as a result of the recent supplementation of resources from the National Fund for Scientific and Technological Development (FNDCT) and we decided to address DCTA’s fundamental support for the companies that will be contracted by FINEP in activities such as engine loading, structural testing and bench firing,” said Shidara.
AIAB hopes that DCTA will receive funds from the FNDCT to resolve existing bottlenecks in the current infrastructure so that its institutions can adequately support not only internal activities, but also the needs of the productive sector.
“Also in this regard, we cannot overlook the great challenge of designing appropriate legal instruments to support the provision of services to industry, considering the diversity of interpretations and applications of the legal framework by representatives of the Federal Government’s legal advisory services and external control bodies,” added the AIAB president.
“The Brazilian Space Program’s path to success involves establishing missions that are unequivocally beneficial to society, as well as aligning the competencies of the Scientific, Technological and Innovation Institutions (ICT) and the Brazilian space industry,” concluded Jadir.
*** Translated by DEFCONPress FYI Team ***