VZCZCXRO6806
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0290 0701948
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 111948Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3755
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3688
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7400
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9208
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0395
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 6147

UNCLAS BRASILIA 000290 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/SAT, L/OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPA ETTC SENV ECON KSCA BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: SPACE COOPERATION POTENTIAL 
 
(U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
¶1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  Brazil's National Institute for Space Research 
(INPE) Technology Director Marco Antonio Chamon sees many 
opportunities for cooperation with the USG and with U.S. space 
businesses.  Brazil is open to supplying for free the USG with the 
remote sensing information from the Brazil-China CBERS satellites, 
though the Chinese would need also to agree.  Chamon urged the USG 
to look again at the export control rules - International Traffic in 
Arms Regulation (ITAR) - which are greatly impeding Brazil's ability 
to select U.S. suppliers.  The Brazilians would be open to working 
out arrangements and assurances that would give the USG confidence 
that the technology would not go astray.  END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2.  (SBU) On March 5, Embassy's Environment, Science & Technology, 
and Health (ESTH) Counselor and Assistant Air Attache met in Sao 
Jose dos Campos with Brazil's National Institute for Space 
Research's (INPE) Technology Director Marco Antonio Chamon and with 
the Head of INPE's Integration and Test Laboratory (LIT), Dr. 
Petronio Noronha de Souza.  Before the discussion, Noronha provided 
a tour of the impressive LIT facility.  The expanded facility 
includes one large and one medium-size chambers to test equipment 
for extremities of space (vacuum, heat and cold); vibration tables; 
a large chamber to test for high decibel sound waves; and an area to 
test electromagnetic waves.  Noronha opined that it was the best 
facility in the Southern Hemisphere.  This high assessment was 
shared by Dr. Amit Sen of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory's 
Aquarius Project Manager.  Dr. Sen was at LIT to make arrangements 
for LIT to test the U.S. equipment for the Aquarius project, which 
will go on an Argentine platform. 
 
LANDSAT - CBERS COOPERATION 
 
¶3.  (SBU) Chamon expressed INPE's appreciation for the support by 
provided by NASA with LANDSAT imagery, which is essential for 
monitoring deforestation in the Amazon.  He said that Brazil has 
been cooperating with China on a series of satellites under the 
CBERS program.  Brazil has just set up an arrangement with South 
Africa and China to provide Africans with CBERS imagery.  INPE is 
willing to provide the USG with CBERS imagery, though it would have 
to be a tripartite agreement with China.  INPE is committed to a 
policy of providing free access to its remote sensing imagery, 
Chamon underscored. 
 
EXPORT CONTROLS IMPACT ON BRAZIL 
 
¶4.  (SBU) According to Chamon, Brazil over the years has been 
developing their satellite industry and now has cooperation with 
China, Argentina, and Europe, as well as the United States. 
However, Chamon believes that U.S. export controls, especially ITAR, 
have affected access to possible deals with U.S. suppliers.  He 
commented that the U.S. firms were often the best and with lower 
prices.  He recognized that there were concerns about the technology 
getting into the wrong hands, and said Brazil is willing to work out 
satisfactory arrangements, whether through end user restrictions or 
something else.  One example of a technology Brazil is looking to 
acquire is shortwave infrared radars (SWIR), which would help Brazil 
obtain a look through the clouds that cover the Amazon for most of 
the year.  This information would help with Brazil's efforts tocombat illegal deforestation. 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  As wit other areas of defense-related partnership, 
cooperation in space will be facilitated by the conclusion of an 
information sharing agreement similar to a General Security of 
Military Information Agreement(GSOMIA).  The Defense Department is 
currently in the process of arranging the reciprocal visits that are 
a precondition for such an arrangement. 
 
KUBISKE