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Viewing cable 09BRASILIA296, BRAZIL: FALLEN SPACE OBJECT RECOVERED

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
09BRASILIA296 2009-03-12 11:02 2011-07-11 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Brasilia
VZCZCXRO7419
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHBR #0296/01 0711102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 121102Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY BRASILIA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3761
INFO RUEHSO/AMCONSUL SAO PAULO 3694
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO 7405
RUEHRG/AMCONSUL RECIFE 9214
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 000296 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR OES/SAT, L/OES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: TSPA SENV KSCA BR
SUBJECT: BRAZIL: FALLEN SPACE OBJECT RECOVERED 
 
REF:  (A) 2008 BRASILIA 525, (B) 2008 STATE 87179 
 
(U) THIS CABLE IS SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED AND NOT FOR INTERNET 
DISTRIBUTION. 
 
1.  (SBU) SUMMARY.  On March 5, Post recovered from the Brazilian 
authorities the component of a U.S. space launch vehicle that fell 
in the State of Goias, Brazil, in late March 2008.  The object, a 
composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV), is in remarkably good 
condition and is stored at the Embassy awaiting finalization of 
plans for transporting it back to the United States.  END SUMMARY 
 
2.  (SBU) Per REFTELS, on March 5, Embassy's Environment, Science & 
Technology, and Health (ESTH) Counselor and Assistant Air Attache 
went to the National Institute for Space Research's (INPE) 
laboratory in Sao Jose dos Campos, State of Sao Paulo, and obtained 
possession of the COPV that had come off the upper stage of a U.S. 
space launch vehicle launched on October 11, 2007 and which fell in 
the State of Goias, Brazil, in March 2008.  INPE's Technology 
Director Marco Antonio Chamon oversaw the transfer of the object. 
He was joined by the Head of INPE's Integration and Test Laboratory 
(LIT) Petronio Noronha de Souza, the Ministry of Science and 
Technology's International Affairs Office's Senior Space Coordinator 
Alvaro Fabricio dos Santos, and a representative from the Brazilian 
Space Agency.  The transfer of possession went smoothly.  A receipt 
was signed by both sides and witnessed in both English and 
Portuguese; copies of those receipts have been sent to OES/SAT and 
the English text is provided in paragraph 4 below.  The transfer was 
preceded by a tour of INPE/LIT's impressive facilities and followed 
by a discussion on possible future U.S.-Brazil space cooperation 
(SEPTEL). 
 
3.  (SBU) A visual inspection of the COPV showed that it seemed to 
be in remarkably good condition, retaining most of its spherical 
shape and its outer wrapping.  It is stored at the Embassy awaiting 
finalization of arrangements to transport it back to the United 
States. 
 
4.  (SBU) TEXT OF RECEIPT: 
 
LETTER OF RETURN 
 
BETWEEN THE BRAZILIAN NATIONAL INSTITUTE FOR SPACE RESEARCH - INPE, 
AND THE EMBASSY OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA IN BRAZIL 
 
The Brazilian National Institute for Space Research - INPE, 
hereinafter called INPE, represented by its Coordinator of 
Technology Management, Marco Antonio Chamon, and the Embassy of the 
United States of America in Brazil, hereinafter called U.S. EMBASSY, 
represented by its Counselor for Environment, Science and 
Technology, Richard James Driscoll, sign this instrument to 
formalize the return, provided in this act by INPE to the U.S. 
EMBASSY, of the component of a U.S. launch vehicle upper stage 
registered with the International Designator of 2007-046B in the 
United Nations Register of Space Objects, that fell from outer space 
on to Brazilian territory, in the State of Goias, late March 2008. 
This act is taking place in accordance with Article 5 of the 
Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of Astronauts and 
the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space, in force since 
December 3, 1968, as well as with the Diplomatic Note # 383, of 
August 25, 2008, from the U.S. EMBASSY. 
 
In acceptance of this Letter of Return, the representatives of INPE 
and the U.S. EMBASSY sign it in 4 (four) versions, two in Portuguese 
and two in English. 
 
Sao Jose dos Campos, SP, Brazil, 05 March 2009. 
 
MARCO ANTONIO CHAMON 
Coordinator of Technology Management 
National Institute for Space Research - INPE 
 
RICHARD JAMES DRISCOLL 
Counselor for Environment, Science and Technology 
United States Embassy in Brazil 
 
Witnesses: 
 
Alvaro Fabricio dos Santos 
Brazilian Ministry of Science and Technology 
 
Jon Mark Harrington 
Lt. Colonel, U.S. Air Force 
Assistant Air Attache 
United States Embassy in Brazil 
 
5.  (U) INPE released a brief notice - which it has posted on its 
 
BRASILIA 00000296  002 OF 002 
 
 
website - about the transfer of the object (summarized below) the 
day before the ceremony, and there were photographers and a TV news 
camera crew covering the handover ceremony.  INPE's March 4 release 
reads in pertinent part: 
 
On March 5, INPE will hold a ceremony to return to the American 
Government a component of a U.S. Atlas launch vehicle, which was 
found on March 25, 2008, on a farm in the City of Montividiu, in the 
State of Goias.  The restitution of the piece complies with Article 
5 of the Agreement on the Rescue of Astronauts, the Return of 
Astronauts and the Return of Objects Launched into Outer Space, in 
force since December 3, 1968, and with Diplomatic Note No. 383, of 
August 25, 2008, from the U.S. Embassy.  After being examined by the 
National Commission on Nuclear Energy (CNEN), which concluded that 
it was not radioactive, the artifact was delivered to INPE's Fuel 
and Propulsion Laboratory (LCP) in Cachoeira Paulista (State of Sao 
Paulo State). 
 
The technical analysis revealed that the object is a high pressure 
nitrogen tank commonly used in auxiliary systems of liquid 
propulsion for rockets and satellites.  In one of its extremities 
there was a mechanism with the characteristics of a heater, utilized 
in this type of tank to compensate for the diminishing internal 
pressure that occurs as the nitrogen is consumed. 
 
With a spherical form, the object was wrapped in carbon fibers. 
According to the technicians, this cover of carbon fiber was coming 
unglued, under a form of powder, as an effect of the object 
reentering the atmosphere.  They conducted tests for significant 
concentrations of toxic substances or flammables, such as hydrazine, 
monometil-hidrazine, asymmetrical dimetil-hidrazine, among others, 
all of which has negative results.  Only nitrogen was observed in a 
significant concentration. 
 
The tank came under the responsibility of INPE, an organ tied to the 
Ministry of Science and Technology, to hold it until its eventual 
delivery to its proprietor in accordance with international 
conventions to which Brazil is a signatory. 
 
6.  (SBU) COMMENT.  Despite initial bureaucratic delays on both 
sides, the return of the COPV went very smoothly.  The Brazilians 
used this event as an opportunity to underscore their interest in 
enhancing U.S.-Brazilian space cooperation.  While they described 
the increasing space cooperation with China, Argentina and 
Europeans, they stressed that Brazil would like to see a more 
prominent role played by the USG and U.S. companies.  END COMMENT. 
 
KUBISKE