http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/spa....ap/index.html

What the hell would a country like Brazil be doing in space anyway ? I'd say they have other issues to worry about, like taking care of their homeless problems, and make sure everyone has a meal at least once a day. But no, they wanna explore the universe. This is the third time a rocket explodes, what are they trying to prove here ?

What the hell would a country like the US, the former USSR or Chinado in space?
Don't they have other more important problems?

Spacetravel is no longer about exploring but about business. Companies are paying good money to get satellites delivered up there. Every country that is near enough to the equator to efficiently get a satellite-launching rocket into space considers it a perfect business opportunity.

Scientific space mission also have positive impact on economy but be calm as I don't presume Brasilians will walk on the moon anytime soon.

This is just the government of Brazil attempting to take attention away from their problems with poverty. India is doing the same thing.

Hmm what?? You mean we in the west are so fascinated by space launches that we would ignore other things? Well that is spot on to NASA's dwindling viewer ratings. ;)

All countries are welcome to explore space. The more the merrier. And in this area it really holds true. US, Russia and EU has started helping eachother out. The more countries that join that venture the further we will get. ;)

Playing soccer. :D No,really exploring space is good.The more countries that join that venture the further we will get.
What do you know? Maybe in X years from now Humans will live in another Galaxy(far,far away :D )

What's the problem? They just wanted the first "Space Bananas"

Again some of you are IMHO missing the point.
This launch was not about space travel or about exploration.
Launching satellites is
1. good business
2. necessary business
which means that in our modern society every country needs satellites (for phone, TV, weather, intelligence,...) and by launching your own rockets you take one step away from being dependent on other countries' know-how. This is what India tries to do to. Making your country more independent in any possible economical way is to fortify your global political position.
This is not like the US-Russian space race where it was about who got first.
Nobody is still honestly racing for the 4th, 5th or 23rd place when the winners are at the aftershow party already.

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Faceman, you also have to realize, that if you have no launch capability of your own, then you are dependant on foreign sources for your communications and scientific observations.....Ego's being what they are..I doubt that any nation as large as brazil likes having to pay others for their resources which can be withheld at their whim. Brazil also probably wants a few of its own geostationary satellites to hunt for precious metals and minerals...much easier than slogging through the jungle on foot....satellites are wonderful things....if you can afford them.
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Space Exploration is exceedingly important: we need to find the next viable planet to rape. And soon. [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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Personally I vote for Mars and the Asteroid belt. It will be centuries and centuries before we can deplete them [img]smile.gif[/img] ...then we can move on to the moons of Jupiter not to mention Jupiter itself...theres even more there to use...we would be set for milenia to come......
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