Abstract
The special edition on Brazil comes at a very timely moment, as interest in emerging markets grow and we still have a very incipient literature on the country’s space sector. The main reason for this is the lack of systematic and structured data and documentation in English, making research by international scholars difficult. Even in Brazil, we see many legal and planning documents, very little scientific analysis, and public policy evaluation. Therefore, this edition is a strong contribution to the literature and hopefully opens doors to new papers and research on the Brazil and its space activities.
Brazil’s space activities do need a thorough investigation not only because of the insufficient literature but also because it is made up of a very concentrated sector that is still highly government-dependent. Despite this, in the past few years, a private sector of small companies trying to thrive (or survive) with alternative strategy, but the country’s adaptation to a global space sector that is more civilian and more commercial is still not complete.
We believe that the sector’s growth in the coming years depends on a private sector that can stand on its feet in a more autonomous way from government procurement, be it from exports or diversifying its products, so it can minimize risk, generate jobs and income, and lead to more sustainable development. The space sector is increasingly globalized, and the success of Brazilian companies will depend on their ability to integrate into the global supply chain. The Alcântara Space Center is an opportunity that the country can seize, but it is only a small part of what it can explore in the space economy, especially when looking at the space applications segment.
It is also important to highlight that a change in the role of the government is necessary. Firstly, by effectively placing the space sector as a government priority, mainly in terms of financial resources; and secondly, by adopting new legal instruments more suitable for the science and technology sector, to promote space activities. Not only companies need to adapt to the so-called “new space,” but also for the Brazilian government needs to realize that its role must also evolve to align with the new markets and products that space technology brings, rather than maintaining the approaches taken since the 1980s.
A great read to everyone!