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Judgement Day.

The Time Traders by Andre Alice Norton, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here . CHAPTER 8 8 The Time Traders Chapter "... and that is about all." Ten days later Ashe, a dressing on his leg and a few of the pain lines smoothed from his face, sat on a bunk in the arctic time post nursing a mug of coffee in his hands and smiling, a little crookedly, at Nelson Millaird. Millaird, Kelgarries, Dr. Webb, all the top brass of the project had not only come through the transfer point to meet the three from Britain but were now crammed into the room, nearly pushing Ross and McNeil through the wall. Because this was it! What they had hunted for months—years—now lay almost within their grasp. Only Millaird, the director, did not seem so confident. A big man with a bushy thatch of coarse graying hair and a heavy, fleshy face, he did not look like a brain. Yet Ross had been on the roster long enough to know that it was Millaird's thick and hairy hands that gathered together all the loose threads of Operation Retrograde and deftly wove them into a workable pattern. Now the director leaned back in a chair which was too small for his bulk, chewing thoughtfully on a toothpick. "So we have the first whiff of a trail," he commented without elation. "A pretty strong lead!" Kelgarries broke in. Too excited to sit still, the major stood with his back against the door, as alert as if he were about to turn and face the enemy. "The Reds wouldn't have moved against Gog if they did not consider it a menace to them. Their big base must be in this time sector!" "A big base," Millaird corrected. "The one we are after, no. And right now they may be switching times. Do you think they will sit here and wait for us to show up in force?" But Millaird's tone, intended to deflate, had no effect on the major. "And just how long would it take them to dismantle a big base?" that officer countered. "At least a month. If we shoot a team in there in a hurry—" Millaird folded his huge hands over his barrel-shaped body and laughed, without a trace of humor. "Just where do we send that team, Kelgarries? Northeast of a coastal point in Britain is a rather vague direction, to say the least. Not," he spoke to Ashe now, "that you didn't do all you could, Ashe. And you, McNeil, nothing to add?" "No, sir. They jumped us out of the blue when Sandy thought he had every possible line tapped, every safeguard working. I don't know how they caught on to us, unless they located our beam to this post. If so, they must have been deliberately hunting us for some time, because we only used the beam as scheduled——" "The Reds have patience and brains and probably some more of their surprise gadgets to help them. We have the patience and the brains, but not the gadgets. And time is against us. Get anything out of this, Webb?" Millaird asked the hitherto silent third member of his ruling committee. The quiet man adjusted his glasses on the bridge of his nose, a flattish nose which did not support them very well. "Just another point to add to our surmises. I would say that they are located somewhere near the Baltic Sea. There are old trade routes there, and in our own time it is a territory closed to us. We never did know too much about that section of Europe. Their installation may be close to the Finnish border. They could disguise their modern station under half a dozen covers; that is strange country." Millaird's hands unfolded and he produced a notebook and pen from a shirt pocket. "Won't hurt to stir up some of the present-day agents of the M.I. and the rest. They might just come up with a useful hint. So you'd say the Baltic. But that is a big slice of country." Webb nodded. "We have one advantage—the old trade routes. In the Beaker period they are pretty well marked. The major one into that section was established for the amber trade. The country is forested, but not so heavily as it was in an earlier period. The native tribes are mostly roving hunters, and fishermen along the coast. But they have had contact with traders." He shoved his glasses back into place with a nervous gesture. "The Reds may run into trouble themselves there at this time——" "How?" Kelgarries demanded. "Invasion of the ax people. If they have not yet arrived, they are due very soon. They formed one of the big waves of migratory people, who flooded the country, settled there. Eventually they became the Norse or Celtic stock. We don't know whether they stamped out the native tribes they found there or assimilated them." "That might be a nice point to have settled more definitely," McNeil commented. "It could mean the difference between getting your skull split and continuing to breathe." "I don't think they would tangle with the traders. Evidence found today suggests that the Beaker folk simply went on about their business in spite of a change in customers," Webb returned. "Unless they were pushed into violence." Ashe handed his empty mug to Ross. "Don't forget Lurgha's Wrath. From now on our enemies might take a very dim view of any Beaker trade posts near their property." Webb shook his head slowly. "A wholesale attack on Beaker establishments would constitute a shift in history. The Reds won't dare that, not just on general suspicion. Remember, they are not any more eager to tinker with history than we are. No, they will watch for us. We will have to stop communication by radio——" "We can't!" snapped Millaird vehemently. "We can cut it down, but I won't send the boys out without some means of quick communication. You lab boys put your brains to work and see what you can turn out in the way of talk boxes that they can't snoop. Time!" He drummed on his knee with his thick fingers. "It all comes back to a question of time." "Which we do not have," Ashe observed in his usual quiet voice. "If the Reds are afraid they have been spotted, they must be dismantling their post right now, working around the clock. We'll never again have such a good chance to nail them. We must move now." Millaird's lids drooped almost shut; he might have been napping. Kelgarries stirred restlessly by the door, and Webb's round face had settled into what looked like permanent lines of disapproval. "Doc," Millaird spoke over his shoulder to the fourth man of his following, "what is your report?" "Ashe must be under treatment for at least five days. McNeil's burns aren't too bad, and Murdock's slash is almost healed." "Five days—" Millaird droned, and then flashed a glance at the major. "Personnel. We're tied down without any useful personnel. Who in processing could be switched without tangling them up entirely?" "No one. I can recall Jansen and Van Wyke. These ax people might be a good cover for them." The momentary light in Kelgarries' eyes faded. "No, we have no proper briefing and can't get it until the tribe does appear on the map. I won't send any men in cold. Their blunders would not only endanger them but might menace the whole project." "So that leaves us with you three," Millaird said. "We'll recall what men we can and brief them again as fast as possible. But you know how long that will take. In the meantime——" Ashe spoke directly to Webb. "You can't pinpoint the region closer than just the Baltic?" "We can do this much," the other answered him slowly, and with obvious reluctance. "We can send the sub cruising offshore there for the next five days. If there is any radio activity—any communication—we should be able to trace the beams. It all depends upon whether the Reds have any parties operating from their post. Flimsy——" "But something!" Kelgarries seized upon it with the relief of one who needed action. "And they will be waiting for just such a move on our part," Webb continued deliberately. "All right, so they'll be watching!" the major said, about to lose his temper, "but it is about the only move we can make to back up the boys when they do go in." He whipped around the door and was gone. Webb got up slowly. "I will work over the maps again," he told Ashe. "We haven't scouted that area, and we don't dare send a photo-plane over it now. Any trip in will be a stab in the dark." "When you have only one road, you take it," Ashe replied. "I'll be glad to see anything you can show me, Miles." If Ross had believed that his pre-trial-run cramming had been a rigorous business, he was soon to laugh at that estimation. Since the burden of the next jump would rest on only three of them—Ashe, McNeil, and himself—they were plunged into a whirlwind of instruction, until Ross, dazed and too tired to sleep on the third night, believed that he was more completely bewildered than indoctrinated. He said as much sourly to McNeil. "Base has pulled back three other teams," McNeil replied. "But the men have to go to school again, and they won't be ready to come on for maybe three, four weeks. To change runs means unlearning stuff as well as learning it——" "What about new men?" "Don't think Kelgarries isn't out now beating the bushes for some! Only, we have to be fitted to the physical type we are supposed to represent. For instance, set a small, dark-headed pugnose among your Norse sea rovers, and he's going to be noticed—maybe remembered too well. We can't afford to take that chance. So Kelgarries had to discover men who not only look the part but are also temperamentally fitted for this job. You can't plant a fellow who thinks as a seaman—not a seaman, you understand, but one whose mind works in that pattern—among a wandering tribe of cattle herders. The protection for the man and the project lies in his being fitted into the right spot at the right time." Ross had never really thought of that point before. Now he realized that he and Ashe and McNeil were of a common mold. All about the same height, they shared brown hair and light eyes—Ashe's blue, his own gray, and McNeil's hazel—and they were of similar build, small-boned, lean, and quick-moving. He had not seen any of the true Beakermen except on the films. But now, recalling those, he could see that the three time traders were of the same general physical type as the far-roving people they used as a cover. It was on the morning of the fifth day while the three were studying a map Webb had produced that Kelgarries, followed at his own weighty pace by Millaird, burst in upon them. "We have it! This time we have the luck! The Reds slipped. Oh, how they slipped!" Webb watched the major, a thin little smile pulling at his pursed mouth. "Miracles sometimes do happen," he remarked. "I suppose the sub has a fix for us." Kelgarries passed over the flimsy strip of paper he had been waving as a banner of triumph. Webb read the notation on it and bent over the map, making a mark with one of those needle-sharp pencils which seemed to grow in his breast pocket, ready for use. Then he made a second mark. "Well, it narrows it a bit," he conceded. Ashe looked in turn and laughed. "I would like to hear your definition of 'narrow' sometime, Miles. Remember we have to cover this on foot, and a difference of twenty miles can mean a lot." "That mark is quite a bit in from the sea." McNeil offered his own protest when he saw the marking. "We don't know that country—" Webb shoved his glasses back for the hundredth time that morning. "I suppose we could consider this critical, condition red," he said in such a dubious tone that he might have been begging someone to protest his statement. But no one did. Millaird was busy with the map. "I think we do, Miles!" He looked to Ashe. "You'll parachute in. The packs with which you will be equipped are special stuff. Once you have them off sprinkle them with a powder Miles will provide and in ten minutes there won't be enough of them left for anyone to identify. We haven't but a dozen of these, and we can't throw them away except in a crisis. Find the base and rig up the detector. Your fix in this time will be easy—but it is the other end of the line we must have. Until you locate that, stick to the job. Don't communicate with us until you have it!" "There is the possibility," Ashe pointed out, "the Reds may have more than one intermediate post. They probably have played it smart and set up a series of them to spoil a direct trace, as each would lead only to another farther back in time——" "All right. If that proves true, just get us the next one back," Millaird returned. "From that we can trace them along if we must send in some of the boys wearing dinosaur skins later. We have to find their primary base, and if that hunt goes the hard way, well, we do it the hard way." "How did you get the fix?" McNeil asked. "One of their field parties ran into trouble and yelled for help." "Did they get it?" The major grinned. "What do you think? You know the rules—and the ones the Reds play by are twice as tough on their own men." "What kind of trouble?" Ashe wanted to know. "Some kind of a local religious dispute. We do our best with their code, but we're not a hundred per cent perfect in reading it. I gather they were playing with a local god and got their fingers burned." "Lurgha again, eh?" Ashe smiled. "Foolish," Webb said impatiently. "That is a silly thing to do. You were almost over the edge of prudence yourself, Gordon, with that Lurgha business. To use the Great Mother was a ticklish thing to try, and you were lucky to get out of it so easily." "Once was enough," Ashe agreed. "Though using it may have saved our lives. But I assure you I am not starting a holy war or setting up as a prophet." Ross had been taught something of map reading, but mentally he could not make what he saw on paper resemble the countryside. A few landmarks, if there were any outstanding ones, were all he could hope to impress upon his memory until he was actually on the ground. Landing there according to Millaird's instruction was another experience he would not have chosen of his own accord. To jump was a matter of timing, and in the dark with a measure of rain thrown in, the action was anything but pleasant. Leaving the plane in a blind, follow-the-leader fashion, Ross found the descent into darkness one of the worst trials he had yet faced. But he did not make too bad a landing in the small parklike expanse they had chosen for their target. Ross pulled loose his harness and chute, dragging them to what he judged to be the center of the clearing. Hearing a plaintive bray from the air, he dodged as one of the two burden asses sent to join them landed and began to kick at its trappings. The animals they had chosen were the most docile available and they had been given sedation before the jump so that now, feeling Ross's hands, the donkey stood quietly while Ross stripped it of its hanging straps. "Rossa—" The sound of his Beaker name called through the dark brought Ross facing in the other direction. "Here, and I have one of the donkeys." "And I the other!" That was McNeil. Their eyes adjusted to a gloom which was not as thick as it would be in the forest and they worked fast. Then they dragged the parachutes together in a heap. The rain would, Webb had assured them, add to the rapid destruction wrought by the chemical he had provided. Ashe shook it over the pile, and there was a faint greenish glow. Then they moved away to the woodland and made camp for the balance of the night. So much of their whole exploit depended upon luck, and this small part had been successful. Unless some agent had been stationed to watch for their arrival Ross believed they could not be spotted. The rest of their plan was elastic. Posing as traders who had come to open a new station, they were to stay near a river which drained a lake and then angled southward to the distant sea. They knew this section was only sparsely settled by small tribes, hardly larger than family clans. These people were generations behind the civilized level of the villagers of Britain—roving hunters who followed the sweep of game north or south with the seasons. Along the seashore the fishermen had established more permanent holdings which were slowly becoming towns. There were perhaps a few hardy pioneer farmers on the southern fringes of the district, but the principle reason traders came to this region was to get amber and furs. The Beaker people dealt in both. Now as the three sheltered under the wide branches of a towering pine Ashe fumbled with a pack and brought out the "beaker" which was the identifying mark of his adopted people. He measured into it a portion of the sour, stimulating drink which the traders introduced wherever they went. The cup passed from hand to hand, its taste unpleasant on the tongue, but comfortingly warm to one's middle. They took turns keeping the watch until the gray of false dawn became the clearer light of morning. After breakfasting on flat cakes of meal, they packed the donkeys, using the same knots and cross lashing which were the mark of real Beaker traders. Their bows protected from dampness under their cloaks, they set out to find the river and their path southward. Ashe led, Ross towed the donkeys, and McNeil brought up the rear. In the absence of a path they had to set a ragged course, keeping to the edge of the clearing until they saw the end of the lake. "Woodsmoke," Ashe commented when they had completed two thirds of their journey. Ross sniffed and was able to smell it too. Nodding to Ashe, McNeil oozed into nothingness between the trees with an ease Murdock envied. As they waited for him to return, Ross became conscious of another life about them, one busy with its own concerns, which were in no way those of human beings, except that food and perhaps shelter were to be reckoned among them. In Britain, Ross had known there were others of his kind about, but this was different. Here, he could have believed it if he had been told he was the first man to walk this way. A squirrel ran out on a tree limb and surveyed the two men with curious beady eyes, then clung head down on the tree trunk to see them better. One of the donkeys tossed its head, and the squirrel was gone with a flirt of its tail. Although it was quiet, there was a hum underneath the surface which Ross tried to analyze, to identify the many small sounds which went into its making. Perhaps because he was trying so hard, he noted the faint noise. His hand touched Ashe's arm and a slight movement of his head indicated the direction of the sound. Then, as fluidly as he had melted into the woods, McNeil returned. "Company," he said in a soft voice. "What kind?" "Tribesmen, but wilder than any I've seen, even on the tapes. We are certainly out on the fringes now. These people look about cave level. I don't think they've ever heard of traders." "How many?" "Three, maybe four families. Most of the males must be out hunting, but there're about ten children and six or seven women. I don't think they've had good luck lately by the look of them." "Maybe their luck and ours are going to turn together," Ashe said, motioning Ross forward with the donkeys. "We will circle about them to the river and then try bartering later. But I do want to establish contact." About HackerNoon Book Series: We bring you the most important technical, scientific, and insightful public domain books. This book is part of the public domain. Andre Alice Norton (2006). The Time Traders. Urbana, Illinois: Project Gutenberg. Retrieved October 2022 https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/19145/pg19145-images.html This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org , located at https://www.gutenberg.org/policy/license.html.

"... and that is about all." 

AUSTRALIA; NEW ZEALAND; CAPE OF GOOD HOPE

ST. HELENA

Bacteria: Chapter II - BACTERIA IN WATER

The Beautiful and Damned: Book II, Chapter I - The Radiant Hour 

I have close Brazilian friends. Talented, tech-savvy, and extremely creative, my friends come from a diversity of professional backgrounds in software engineering, project management, information technology, design, and marketing. Rarely a dull moment when we connect, they have become like an extended family to me. When I told them I was researching and writing about the space industry in Brazil, they were both enthusiastic and a bit surprised. Space efforts at home emerge in the media on a relatively sporadic basis… The famous astrophysicist recently on Brazil along these lines. The letter is part of the Brazilian Portuguese edition of his book (2019). Dr. Tyson points out the importance of Brazil’s legacy in aviation and aeronautics with its home-grown and publicly traded aerospace conglomerate, . Based in the state of São Paulo since 1969, EMBRAER is a robust powerhouse that designs, manufactures, and sells aircraft and its parts for commercial, business, and military uses. Tyson also highlights the achievements of the first Brazilian astronaut, Lt. Col. Marcos Pontes, who flew on board the Russian Soyuz TMA-8   to the International Space Station. Since 2018, Pontes serves as Minister of State at the (Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation). Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson shared his point of view Letters from an Astrophysicist Empresa Brasileira de Aeronáutica - EMBRAER Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações - MCTI Pontes and fellow crew members at the International Space Station. 2006 I wanted to offer a different angle of inquiry to my readers. Momentum, energy, and vibrancy dominate the tech startup ecosystem in Brazil.  This tech startup dynamism is especially evident in the city and state of São Paulo. If I borrow the philosophical , which explain that energy can neither be created nor destroyed in a given system - only converted from one form of energy to another, I ask myself the following questions. Can the space industry in Brazil also leverage the energy and vibrancy currently present in its tech startup ecosystem? With so much tech momentum, what's the status of space startups in Brazil? principles and questions from the laws of physics Setting the Context: The Startup Vibrancy Rich in precious natural resources and , Brazil is also the largest country in Latin America. The city of São Paulo, which is home to most of my friends, is one of the most populous cities in the Western Hemisphere. The University of São Paulo is by The World University Rankings. With some of the best academic programs and research in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics), it is no surprise that . The city hosts the innovation and data centers of global titans such as Microsoft, Google, and Facebook. São Paulo is also the regional headquarters for Airbnb, Netflix, and Amazon. among the top world economies ranked in the top 100 the city is also full of tech companies and startups The startup ecosystem in São Paulo city is an impressively fine-tuned conveyer belt. In the year 2019, after the United States and China as the country in the world with the most tech startups that reach unicorn status. Unicorns are startups valued at US$ 1 billion or above. Brazil shared this spot with Germany. Some of these Brazilian tech unicorns leverage mobile gaming technologies, fintech, service delivery, healthcare, and real estate. Several unicorns are based in the city of São Paulo. Brazil ranked third Brazil has become an attractive market for venture capital and investors. In fact, it is the country in Latin America with the . The influx of venture capital reached an approximate US$ 2.49 billion in 2019. According to The , investments spread across 222 deals. The amount in 2018 totaled US$ 1.3 billion. Additionally, there is also the recent , which has heavily invested in Brazilian startups. most venture capital funds for its startups Association for Private Capital Investment in Latin America - LAVCA SoftBank-led Latin America tech fund of US$ 5 billion This startup boom in Brazil dates back to the late 1990s and early 2000s. With access to the Internet and increased web and mobile connectivity, the cascade of technologies, businesses, and startups followed. This growth is especially prevalent in the IT and tech worlds including, software development, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, Internet of Things - IoT, and mobile gaming. in 2018 beat the global average yearly increase with a solid 9.8%. Brazilian software developers and IT professionals are in top demand as well. Brazil is one of the for IT. Frequent international events and trade shows continue to position Brazil’s tech leadership in the region. Surprisingly, none of these unicorns relate to the space industry… Brazil’s IT market top outsourcing destinations The Case for Space Startups In the space industry, startups can be bold and efficient. With initial shorter cycles for experimentation and iteration, controlled risks facilitate scientific and technological breakthroughs. Today’s big global space players were once just startups and ideas. However, numerous space startups face the common challenge of rallying investment and venture capital with a length of time and effort greater than for other tech startups. In this sense, and despite growing interest in the global space economy, many tech entrepreneurs have remained at the periphery of Brazil's space industry. There are a few and remarkable space entpreneurs, however, which are currently driving innovation in the space startup ecosystem. I met earlier this fall. Lucas is the CEO and Founder of the space startup . Based in São Carlos in the state of São Paulo, Airvantis works in tandem with private and public partners in Brazil and overseas for space science. The company also has activities in the United States. It is part of the international network of startups in the . Lucas Fonseca Airvantis New York Space Alliance (NYSA) Lucas Fonseca, CEO and Founder of Airvantis. November 2020. Airvantis . It also serves as an incubator and innovation center for the collaborative . Garatéa-L is the first proposed Brazilian lunar commercial space mission. On its lunar orbit, the mission would test the survival of specific bacteria and fungi. sends scientific experiments to the International Space Station Mission Garatéa - L Lucas was born and raised in Santos in the state of São Paulo. His interests in space start early on in childhood. Lucas remembers growing up in the eighties in Brazil. Science fiction masterpieces and iconic space operas surfaced during this decade. These include E.T., Blade Runner, 2010, Dune, Aliens, The Terminator, Star Wars Episodes V and VI, and many others. Without a clear path to pursue his space ambitions at home, but with a vision to be part of the incredible world showcased in films, Lucas pursued studies overseas. This path opened doors for him to work in international space missions. “I never gave up being a space guy. And this is hard in Brazil, especially when I went to university. We didn’t have a space course per se at the university, so I pursued mechatronic engineering as my path to the space industry… When I was invited to work for the Rosetta Mission after my studies in Space Systems Engineering in France… I realized it was an opportunity to land on a comet that was very unique.” The launched in 2004. During a period of 12 years, the mission achieved historic milestones. It was the first time that a spacecraft did a rendezvous to study and follow the comet 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko in its orbit around the sun. During its journey, the Rosetta spacecraft conducted flybys of Planet Earth, Mars, and the asteroids 21 Lutetia and 2867 Šteins. The Philae robotic lander on board the Rosetta spacecraft was also the first-ever to successfully deploy in 2014 on the surface of a comet. The Rosetta mission definitely made a deep impression on Lucas and his own sense of purpose. European Space Agency - ESA Rosetta mission “Brazil was a blue ocean for me. I thought maybe I could try to catch the new space movement in Brazil. That's why I decided to open my own company in Brazil in 2012…” Invited to speak often to other countries in Latin America about his career and entrepreneurial path, Lucas assesses the challenges of getting visibility and traction as a space startup. A lot of the media coverage in Brazil tends to focus on what is being done overseas at the expense of local efforts. The government space program is very established with intricate systems and structures. Its strength has been on space cooperation for satellites rather than rocket launches. However, the sparks of enthusiasm and motivation are needed across public and private sectors to build and rally support for space. “People have no idea that we have such a varied space program in Brazil…We should be proud of the things we do in Brazil. This is something that I’m trying to evangelize. How to talk about space. How to train the right person to reach out to the media… You cannot expect the media to come to us… We need to know how to sell it.” Music video. Dormiveglia . “Things are happening in the space industry… But we need to have this spark of people in Brazil that want to do it even if it’s hard. It’s possible to have a space startup just like a delivery service startup. It’s getting easier because it’s more accessible to send things to space or to work on things related to space… It doesn’t matter if you have a space background or not because the possibilities are huge. You can work in communications, satellite imagery, and so much more…” Startup-driven innovation is especially relevant to the world's older and more established space programs like in Brazil. Startup vibrancy is a good benchmark for the future health of a country’s role in the growing globalized space economy. In this respect, a consolidated effort across sectors in Brazil to generate awareness of local efforts matters. Lucas agrees with this. “When you do something different for others, people love it. If you like space and you like being entrepreneurial, it doesn’t matter if you have a space background or not. We need to work for our future in space. We cannot rely on the government alone to link up and build a huge ecosystem…” Looking Back to Look Ahead Brazil’s government-led space program is one of the oldest in the world. It was formally established in 1960. This is just two years after the officially set up shop in the United States in 1958, and years ahead of its home-grown conglomerate EMBRAER. National Aeronautics Space Administration - NASA The origins of Brazil’s program date to work of the Grupo de Organização da Comissão Nacional de Atividades Espaciais - GOCNAE (Organization Group of the National Commission of Space Activities). This commission was appointed by presidential decree for space exploration, travel, and research. The researchers at GOCNAE contributed in its early days to numerous scientific international projects. This dynamic changed abruptly under the authoritarian military regime (1964- 1985). During this turbulent time in Brazilian history, the (National Institute for Space Research) substituted GOCNAE. INPE is based in São José dos Campos in the state of São Paulo. It quickly becomes the technical and scientific backbone for Brazil’s space program. Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais - INPE The for high atmospheric research are also developed early on. These rockets were launched multiple times as early as 1965. For the sake of comparison, reflect the beginnings of the usage of sounding rockets in the United States in the late 1940s. In South America, only Argentina managed to develop the capabilities of sounding rockets during this same period. SONDA sounding rockets series a historical summary from NASA’s first sounding rockets Under military rule, the construction of launch vehicles started in Brazil. A couple of the prototypes of the Veículo Lançador de Satélites - VSL (Satellite Launcher Vehicle) get launched. They do not complete the missions due to technical problems. Diplomatic relations worsen in the South American region, which was already suffering from grim military dictatorships. This shows just the extent to which Brazil's R&D in launchers and satellites further complicated foreign relations. declassified U.S. foreign intelligence report in 1982 Likewise, Brazil’s two and only launch sites were also built under military rule. The (Barreira do Inferno Launch Center) was constructed in 1965 under the wing of the Estado-Maior da Aeronáutica - EMAer (Air Force General Staff). A typical site for launching sounding rockets, CLBI is located on the far northeastern coast of Brazil. The (Alcântara Launch Center) was built in 1982 in the historic city of Alcântara. This is the closest launch site to the Earth's equator. Centro de Lançamento da Barreira do Inferno - CLBI Centro Espacial de Alcântara - CLA Post-military years and under democratic leadership, INPE became part of the newly-created (Ministry of Science, Technology, and Innovation) in 1985. With INPE’s early leadership, more than a dozen satellites launched successfully since the 1990s. Brazil’s first satellite launch for Earth observation in 1993 was onboard a U.S. commercial small launch vehicle, the Pegasus Rocket. The rocket launched from a NASA B-52 aircraft. The remains in operation today to support weather forecasting, monitoring the water level of rivers and dams, and for other purposes. Ministério da Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovações - MCTI Satélite de Coleta de Dados 1 - SCD-1 (Data Collection Satellite 1) In 1994, the Brazilian government created a civilian branch for its space program, the Agência Espacial Brasileira - AEB (Brazilian Space Agency). With a change in discretionary authority and a different regulatory capacity, AEB works in tandem with INPE. It focuses on joint space technological development programs and . international space cooperation agreements The year 2003 was a sobering year for spaceflight in Brazil and across the world. Just several months after the , which killed all seven crew members during atmospheric re-entry, the at the Alcântara Launch Center days before launch. The explosion cost the lives of 21 personnel. STS-107 Columbia Space Shuttle disaster Brazilian VLS-1 VO3 exploded A brief survey of Brazilian space history reveals difficult periods.  Despite this past, the strengths of the Brazilian space program in satellites and international scientific space missions pave the way for the future. For example, INPE advances scientific research and development, especially concerning . Preparations are currently underway for the launch of the new . This launch is scheduled for 2021 from India. numerous small satellite missions Amazônia-1 satellite Space-minded entrepreneurs, like Lucas Fonseca, continue to invest in Brazil's space startup ecosystem. In conjunction with 11 startups, Airvantis is now part of the newly created (Alliance of Brazilian Space Startups). Launched in October 2020, this alliance has been set up in the city of Alcântara. The members wanted to pay tribute to the sacrifices made in the quest for space research, travel, and exploration. By leveraging the economic opportunities for Brazilian space startups in the domestic and global space markets, the alliance also wants to create a new chapter in the economic life of a former colonial town. Aliança das Startups Espaciais Brasileiras - ASB Some additional recent developments: - . The newly created (Mixed Parliamentary Front for the Brazilian Space Program) is composed of 186 deputies and 24 senators from across party lines. This parliamentary front emerges in Brazil to strengthen the cause and its support to its space industry. February 2020 Frente Parlamentar Mista para o Programa Espacial Brasileiro - FPMPEB - . Brazil and the United States enter a . This agreement seeks to encourage U.S. space companies to launch satellites from the Alcântara Launch Center. March 2019 Technology Safeguards Agreement - TSA - . The AEB signs an agreement to be part of the . November 2020 Global Spaceport Alliance Sound bites: Space Is A Positive-Sum Industry The modern space industry is not a zero-sum endeavor. It cannot be led by the government alone, the private sector, or just the dreams of startups. Space research, travel, and exploration are expensive. It takes . It also takes a village of people: space-minded entrepreneurs, advocates, government leaders, experts, artists, communicators, investors, and many others with a positive-sum mindset to scale up healthy space ecosystems. long-term thinking and sustained effort Brazil currently has at its fingertips competitive advantages. Tech unicorns are maturing and paving the way for new ones at one of the highest growth rates in the world. There’s already a colossal influx of venture capital funds for these startups that surpass the billions of dollars every year. Brazil's history shows us an established and veteran space program. It has powerful expertise and leadership in aviation and aeronautics. It has engineering and research programs ranked as the top in the world. This perfect mix may well renew enthusiasm at home and overseas to consolidate a vibrant Brazilian space startup ecosystem. New minds and fresh ideas can illuminate the way to Brazil’s new spacefaring future. I trust there’s a cadre of Brazilian entrepreneurs and investors like Lucas already looking forward to setting a steady course for space. The global space economy is growing at an accelerated rate. I hope that by giving visibility to the current space science efforts in Brazil, the space startup community leverages the momentum and energy already there for its tech unicorns. The payoff is out of this world. Brasil, eu aguardo ansiosa por seus sucessos futuros e espero que nos encontremos em breve no espaço... // (2017) at the top banner is by the prolific Brazilian artist Hugo Elias. Hugo was born and raised in Araraquara in the state of São Paulo. His work, under the name , is characterized by the unique and whimsical designs of his murals, designs, illustrations, and paintings. The inspiration for includes the rituals, music, and sacred geometry found in tribal indigenous customs in the Amazon jungle. I especially liked his subtle exploration of the passion for human spaceflight. Hugo shares my optimism for Brazil's future in the global space industry. The Traveler Ninjah The Traveler The song and video titled is also courtesy of the interdisciplinary artist, composer, and musician . Alexandre was born and raised in Brasília, Brazil’s federal capital. I selected this exquisite instrumental piece as part of my article because it invokes the often indistinguishable state between dreams and reality. A space-enthusiast as well, Alexandre often wonders about the complexity and unknowns of the cosmos. A composer for more than ten years, he also plays the piano in . Dormiveglia Alexandre Perotto Dormiveglia

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