(MENAFN- The Rio Times) Brazil is preparing to send two pocket-size satellites into orbit from its Alcântara spaceport-built not by a big contractor, but by students and professors at the Federal University of Santa Catarina.

Each spacecraft weighs roughly one to two kilograms and is designed to pass over the country multiple times a day, scooping up temperature, humidity, and rainfall data from ground stations and relaying it back for processing in Florianópolis.

On the surface, it's a technology demo. The deeper story is about self-reliance and speed. For years, Brazil's environmental monitoring has depended on large, imported systems and long procurement cycles.

UFSC's approach flips that: a reusable, low-cost platform that can be built in months, not years, with parts sourced and integrated at home.

The team qualified the structure, electronics, software, and antennas in university clean rooms, then secured a ride from Alcântara under a partnership involving the Air Force, the national space agency, and a private launch provider.



Why should people outside Brazil care? First, disaster readiness. Floods and landslides routinely hit Brazilian cities. More frequent satellite passes mean fresher data for reservoir management, early warnings, and targeted evacuations. Second, supply-chain resilience.
Brazil Eyes Domestic Satellites for Climate Data
If Brazil proves it can design, test, and operate its own satellites, it reduces exposure to export licenses and shifting geopolitics-useful for any country seeking dependable climate intelligence. Third, a market signal.

Alcântara's equatorial location is prized for efficient launches. A smooth mission would show that Brazil can host commercial flights and support a cluster of small-satellite manufacturers, test facilities, and ground services.

The satellites are intentionally modest: short mission, clear objectives, tight budget. That discipline matters. It keeps focus on what works-reliable radios, robust power, clean data-over grand promises.

If the platform performs, a small constellation could follow, multiplying coverage at a fraction of legacy costs and giving state agencies, farmers, insurers, and city planners better information, faster.

For expats and foreign readers, the takeaway is simple: Brazil is testing a lean, domestic route to critical climate data while opening its spaceport to business.

If it succeeds, expect more home-built satellites, more launches from the equator, and, most importantly, more timely information when storms threaten lives and infrastructure.

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