Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais

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The National Institute for Space Research (INPE) is a search unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT), whose main goals lie in fostering scientific research and technological applications and in qualifying personnel in the fields of Space and Atmospheric Sciences and Applications and Space Engineering and Space Technology. While INPE is the civilian research center for aerospace activities, the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology is the research military arm.

[edit] History

On August 3, 1961, the Brazilian President Jânio Quadros signed a decree which created the Organizing Group for the National Commission on Space Activities (COGNAE). This group would give rise to the current National Institute for Space Research.

COGNAE, which soon became known as CNAE, started its activities by stimulating, coordinating and supporting studies on the space related area, besides breeding a team of skilled researchers and establishing cooperation with leading nations on the space area.

Initially, the research program was developed its laboratories in São José dos Campos - still the main campus today - and it was closely related with studies in the field of space and atmospheric sciences. These studies included ionosphere sounding in the upper atmosphere through devices placed on the ground and mainly through scientific rocket payloads launched from Barreira do Inferno, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte.

On April 22, 1971, the Institute for Space Research (INPE) was created, subordinated to the National Research Council (CNPq). INPE would be the main civilian executive organ for space research development in accordance with the directives of the Brazilian Commission for Space Activities (COBAE), an advisory organ of the Republic Presidency.

Until the mid-seventies, these were the main projects carried out by INPE included the usage of meteorological, communications and earth observation satellites. This motivated other projects such as:

MESA - reception and interpretation of meteorological satellite images;
SERE - use of satellite remote sensing technique and aircraft earth resources monitoring
SACI - that improved the educational system through broadcasting, using a geostationary communications satellite.

INPE entered a new era when the Brazilian government approved the Complete Brazilian Space Mission (MECB) at the end of 1970s. The institute, besides research and applications, started the development of the space technology for specific needs, essential for a a country of continental dimensions with immense and almost inhabitated areas.

On March 15, 1985, the Ministry of Science and Technology (MCT) was created and INPE became part of it as an independent organ of the Direct Administration.

During the 1980s, INPE started developing priority programs such as:

Complete Brazilian Space Mission (MECB);
China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite (CBERS);
Amazon Research Program (AMZ);
the Center for Weather Forecast and Climatic Studies (CPTEC).

It also kept track of other countries' research on the space area, facilitating collaboration and partnership with them. During this period it also established its Integration and Tests Laboratory (LIT) which develops highly specialized activities essential to the Brazilian's Space Program.

In the 1990s, the first Brazilian satellite (SCD-1) was launched.

In 1998, the second Brazilian satellite (SCD-2) was successfully launched, performing even better than the first one. CBERS-1 and the Scientific Satellite SACI-1 will be the next ones to be launched at an early date.

Due to the recognition of INPE in terms of space technology, Brazil was invited to participate, together with 16 other countries, in the construction of the International Space Station (ISS) , one of the biggest investments on the space area in the world today.