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Brazil takes new flights with national FAB technology, seeking greater spatial autonomy and prominence on the international stage
This Friday, 29 November, Brazilian Air Force (FAB) took a significant step towards space autonomy by launching a suborbital sounding rocket 100% national. The event, which marked the end of the first phase of the Operation Potiguar, happened at 13h19 No. Barreira do Inferno Launch Center (CLBI)On Parnamirim, Rio Grande do Norte.
The launch, which lasted 5 minutes and 50 seconds, was a complete success. The rocket of the FAB maintained its trajectory as planned by the operation's engineers, with all telemetry and radar systems working perfectly. During its brief journey, the vehicle remained in space for 2 minutes and 50 seconds, demonstrating the capacity of FAB in carrying out suborbital operations with precision, according to the aeroin website.
Technology and innovation in Operation Potiguar
According to Air Force Lieutenant Brigadier Mauricio Augusto Silveira de Medeiros, Director General of Department of Aerospace Science and Technology (DCTA), the mission represents a milestone for Brazil in terms of spatial autonomy. “With this initiative, we break paradigms and open new perspectives for the future. Barreira do Inferno has proven itself capable of holding launch events with excellence,” he said.
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O CLBI, an arm of the DCTA, has a rich history of more than 3 thousand releases, organized in 655 operations. Furthermore, it has already fulfilled 265 events of space vehicle tracking. The creation of the public company Winged to manage commercial launches promises even more advances for the Brazilian space sector.
Next steps and technological innovations
The second phase of Operation Potiguar, scheduled for the second half of 2025, will use another rocket of the same model to test the recovery system of the suborbital microgravity platform (SMP). This platform, essential for experiments in microgravity conditions, includes a compartment for various scientific applications.
The FAB sounding rocket, launched, is part of the family S30, developed by Institute of Aeronautics and Space (IAE) in collaboration with Brazilian companies. Since the beginning of the project in 1996, were carried out 55 releases, including models such as the VSB30 and the VS30 Orion.
Impact of FAB suborbital vehicles
Although the suborbital vehicles Although the FAB's rockets do not enter orbit, they reach altitudes that exceed the atmosphere, being valuable tools for scientific and technological experiments. These vehicles are essential for industries such as pharmaceuticals, metal-mechanics, food and cosmetics.
O Lieutenant Colonel Engineer Fernando Cesar Monteiro Tavares, coordinator of the operation, highlighted the importance of these experiments. One example is the dental resin, which underwent crystallization in microgravity to be used worldwide. “Space is our frontier of knowledge,” emphasizes Tavares, underlining the crucial role of aerospace research in advancing the Brazilian scientific program.
The successful launch of the Brazilian rocket reinforces the commitment of Brazilian air force (FAB) with innovation and technological development, positioning Brazil as a protagonist in the global space scenario.
