Brazilian Astronaut Gave Up Nasa to Celebrate Dumont’s Pioneer Flight

The Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira) (AEB) is in a race against time to complete its preparations for the flight of Air Force lieutenant colonel Marcos Pontes.
At the end of March, Pontes will be the first Brazilian to go into space when he travels on a Russia Soyuz rocket to the International Space Station.

The reason for the rush is that it was only four months ago that arrangements were made for Pontes to go up with the Russians. Before that, he was training with NASA to travel aboard the space shuttle.

But shuttle accidents have pushed the date for his trip back to the point where he was in danger of not making it into space this year – the 100th anniversary of Santo Dumont’s pioneer flight.

According to Raimundo Mussi, at AEB who is the flight manager, Pontes will be in space for eight days during which time he will undertake seven experiments created by Brazilian scientists and school children.

The experiments created by school children will be used to stimulate interest in space among young Brazilians.

Next week a critical point will be reached: the equipment for the experiments will be weighed. Pontes has a strict baggage weight limit of 15 kilos (33 lbs).

The Brazilian space program has some experience with microgravity experiments in Brazilian rockets that have achieved suborbital flights of up to eight minutes.

Agência Brasil

Tags:

You May Also Like

Brazil Calls US Bluff on All This Free Trade Stuff Bravado

On April 20th 2010, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the two ...

Brazil and Algeria Urge Israel’s Complete Withdrawal

The South America – Arab Countries Summit “fulfilled its goal of strengthening the interregional ...

Brazil Wants UN Force to Stay in Haiti After Elections

The United Nations (UN) Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) may stay in the country ...

Victims of Kidney Trafficking Ring Acquitted in Brazil

Fifteen Pernambucans (born in the northeastern state of Pernambuco), each accused of selling one ...

Brasília Is Orphan

"I am neither a capitalist nor a socialist, I am not a religious or ...

People for Export

If the exodus has helped in some way to alleviate the unemployment problem the ...

Gang Spreads Panic in Brazil and Kills at Least 37 Police Agents

The First Capital Command, a notorious Brazilian criminal gang unleashed a third wave of ...

Brazil Expecting Record Grain Crop, Up 5% from Last Year

According to Conab, the Brazilian Supply Corporation, Brazil expects the coming 2009/2010 grains crop ...

In Brazil, Spanish Will Do

So what is it about Brazilians that make them understand Spanish without a hitch? ...