Space News by by Jeff Foust 3/25/2019
While a recent agreement signed between the United States and Brazil has been touted as enabling American launches from a Brazilian spaceport, the agreement’s biggest effect may be on other aspects of aerospace cooperation between the two nations.
A technology safeguards agreement (TSA) was signed March 18 by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ford and Brazilian Minister of Foreign Relations Ambassador Ernesto Araujo, the State Department announced. They signed the agreement during a trip to the United States by Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro.
The TSA establishes protections for American space technologies exported to Brazil for space launches there. The agreement, the State Department noted, ensures “the proper handling of sensitive U.S. technology consistent with U.S. nonproliferation policy, the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR), and U.S. export control laws and regulations.â€
This is not the first time the two countries signed such an agreement. A TSA signed in April 2000 failed to take force when the Brazilian Senate refused to ratify it, citing concerns about a loss of sovereignty at its spaceport because of the restricted access Brazilian officials would have to American vehicles and equipment there. Officials are more optimistic that this TSA will win ratification.
The TSA would allow American companies to export launch vehicles and related systems to Brazil for launch from the country’s Alcântara Launch Center, a spaceport that has long appeared desirable to launch companies because of its location about two degrees south of the Equator. The site, though, has yet to host a successful orbital launch.
More:
https://spacenews.com/u-s-brazil-agreement-goes-beyond-launch/
