Brazilian Participation in the International Space Station, with an Emphasis on Microgravity Research

Abstract

Brazil has various vigorous and well-established national programs, which are government supported, and which underpin future Brazilian utilization of the International Space Station (ISS). The particular opportunity for Brazilian participation in the ISS is for staff at government research centers and private companies to use its research and development facilities to develop a productive enterprise initiative including both the private and public sectors. Of particular importance is the opportunity offered for projects in the field of pharmaceutical products, an area that Brazil and the entire South projects market is now developing and already one of the largest markets in the world.

Brazilian research agencies are excited about using the ISS and also upcoming Space Shuttle flight opportunities that are linked closely with ground research as a new way of doing research. Projects can be designed to develop new drugs, vaccines, protein pharmaceuticals, diagnosis kits and other products for the treatment, control and prevention of tropical and parasitic diseases, involving both government centers and the private sector.