Brazil joins international agreement to mitigate space debris and ensure satellite protection

Brazil is advancing in an international collaboration aimed at developing a commercial rocket capable of sending satellites into space. This endeavor involves the Brazilian company Concert Space and the Indian company Skyroot Aerospace, with plans to conduct launches from the Alcântara Launch Center, located in the state of Maranhão.

The project's objective is to create a launch vehicle with the capacity to transport payloads exceeding 100 kg. The strategy consists of combining the technologies and knowledge of both corporations to meet the global demand for small and medium-sized satellite launch services.

Discussions between the parties began in 2024 and gained momentum after the Indian company conducted an orbital launch with its Vikram-I rocket in July 2026. The companies formalized this cooperation through the signing of a memorandum of understanding, although no date has yet been set for the first flight.

Rafael Mordente, CEO of Concert Space, stated that the project timeline is contingent upon the completion of the vehicle's qualification and safety phases. The choice of the Alcântara Launch Center has important geographical reasons, as its proximity to the Equator in Maranhão offers operational advantages for certain space missions.

Earth's rotation generates an extra boost for rockets launched in that area, which reduces the need for energy and fuel to reach specific orbits. This characteristic positions Alcântara as a strategic location to serve international clients interested in placing small satellites into equatorial trajectories.

The partnership also aims to explore the global launch market, which already has major players such as SpaceX, Rocket Lab, and Blue Origin. Instead of competing in all niches of this market, Concert Space and Skyroot intend to focus on the specific needs of entities seeking alternatives for putting satellites into orbit.

This initiative represents an additional effort by Brazil to increase its participation in the space industry, particularly regarding the development of launch technologies and the provision of commercial services. In addition to providing infrastructure for space activities, the country seeks to build its own capabilities and participate in higher value-added technological processes.

Currently, the agreement with India awaits the conclusion of technical and commercial studies. The final configuration of the rocket, the required investments, and the operational conditions will be determined as the partnership evolves. Meanwhile, Concert Space's immediate priority remains the completion of the Brazilian Micro-launcher, and the collaboration with Skyroot allows for the expansion of satellite launch capacity from national territory.

The Neil Gehrels Swift Observatory, belonging to NASA and orbiting for more than twenty years, is scheduled to fall to Earth on Wednesday morning (4th). The decrease in orbital altitude, caused by friction with atmospheric gases, has made remote control of the satellite impossible for ground operators.

Throughout its two decades of operation, the satellite employed three specific scientific instruments to identify and study gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), considered the most intense magnetic and energetic events known in the Universe: the Burst Alert Telescope (BAT), the X-ray Telescope (XRT), and the Ultraviolet and Optical Telescope (UVOT).

Marcelo Zurita, president of the Paraíba Astronomy Association (APA) and member of the Brazilian Astronomical Society (SAB), explained that, to orbit the Earth, an object needs a speed of approximately 27 thousand kilometers per hour, which generates a centrifugal force that balances gravitational attraction. He added that after completing its mission, many spacecraft remain in low orbit, where atmospheric particles cause drag, gradually decreasing the object's speed until gravity takes over.

An attempt by NASA to recover the structure using a robotic mission from a partner company was unsuccessful. The plan failed because the rescue craft faced serious problems with its stabilization system, began to spin uncontrollably, and consumed excess fuel, preventing docking.

Unable to stabilize the orbit, the satellite followed an irreversible descent trajectory. Zurita detailed that with each trip around the Earth, drag further reduces the speed, forcing the satellite to reach lower and denser layers of the atmosphere, which offer greater resistance. This is a one-way course, as the orbit deteriorates until the point of rupture, at which time extreme heat and mechanical deceleration will cause its fragmentation and combustion, typically resulting in only a few debris pieces.

The inclination of the Swift's orbit defines the areas of the planet that may receive fragments from the observatory, covering part of South America and Brazilian territory, although this does not guarantee that the fall will occur specifically there. In a statement released on Monday (2nd), NASA informed that the US Space Force predicts the reentry of the spacecraft, estimated to weigh 1,450 kg, around 5:30 AM (Brasília time) this Wednesday (4th), with an error margin of 11 hours.

According to Zurita, based on data from SatFlare.com, the estimate is 6:57 AM, with an error margin of 6 hours. The specialist mentioned that during the predicted reentry period, the equipment will pass over Brazil six times, and the chances of the fall occurring over the country are approximately 4%. However, Zurita assured that there is no reason to worry, as the very high speed of reentry causes the atmosphere to almost completely disintegrate the object. Atmospheric gases are heated and ionized, creating a large fireball visible hundreds of kilometers away, and the heat vaporizes up to 80% of the material, with the remainder being fragmented by air resistance and reaching the surface in a practically harmless manner.

NASA also emphasized that the risk of causing damage to any person on Earth is extremely low, with a probability of about 1 in 2,100. Much of the main structure of the telescope is composed of aluminum and lightweight materials that melt quickly under the intense fire generated by high speed. Only more robust metal parts can withstand the high temperatures and reach the ground without being completely vaporized during the rapid transit through the Earth's atmosphere, contradicting some initial projections by engineers.

The continuous increase in uncontrolled reentries reflects the rapid growth of recent space launches conducted by various private companies globally. Because of this, aerospace engineers advocate that future satellites be manufactured with more appropriate materials, designed to completely disintegrate at the end of their space life, preventing persistent orbital pollution.

Governments and private companies are debating new regulations to curb the growth of space debris. Sustainability beyond the planet has become an urgent issue to ensure future safety, demanding large investments in clean technology and safe deactivation plans for all equipment launched by modern space agencies. Constant monitoring helps protect lives and property against unforeseen accidents caused by old debris that completes its useful life cycle by reentering the Earth's atmosphere in a disordered and unpredictable manner over the last few years.

The international scientific community closely monitors the developments of this historic reentry while planning more effective methods to manage the growing flow of obsolete satellites orbiting our planet at this time of technological advancement. Events like this underscore the urgent need for stricter standards for the global space sector, ensuring that scientific progress moves in harmony with environmental safety and the preservation of terrestrial life.

Preparations for the launch of the Amazônia 1B satellite are continuing. Simulations conducted at San José dos Campos Airport (São Paulo state) confirmed that the KC-390 aircraft is capable of transporting the container in which the satellite will be placed.

The next step is to deliver the satellite and equipment for testing into the container. Then, this entire cargo shipment, which is expected to weigh 13 tons, will be sent from the city in São Paulo state to French Guiana, where the launch is scheduled for September 2027.

The Amazônia 1B satellite, developed by the National Institute for Space Research (Inpe), is intended for Earth monitoring. It is the second spacecraft in the Amazônia series created by this institute; the first spacecraft was launched from India in February 2021.

In addition to obtaining Earth images, this new model is equipped with Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Reflectometry technology. This technology uses signals from navigation systems reflected by the Earth's surface to collect environmental information.

The satellite itself weighs approximately 638 kilograms, and the container it will be placed in exceeds seven tons. The KC-390 aircraft was also developed in Brazil by Embraer. According to the company, this aircraft, operated by the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), can carry up to 26 tons of cargo.

This aircraft is used for missions involving troop transport, in-flight refueling, and humanitarian operations. The equipment must be delivered to the launch base in French Guiana in 2027.