Brazil Space Facilities

Brazil has the most advanced space program in Latin America, with significant capabilities in launch vehicles, launch sites, and satellite manufacturing.

INPE has under its responsibility the development and the control of the six satellites of the Brazilian Complete Space Mission (MECB)1: three data collecting satellites (SCD1, SCD2 and SCD2-A), two remote sensing satellites (SSR1 and SSR2) and one data collecting satellite with a low orbit communication experiment (SCD3). INPE is also taking part in the development and control of the two remote sensing satellites of the CBERS (China-Brazil Earth Resources Satellite) program and of small scientific satellites. INPE has developed a control system named SICS (Satellite Control System) in order to control the in-orbit first Brazilian satellite (SCD1) launched in February 1993. When in orbit, satellites need to be monitored and controlled by the Ground so that they could execute the services they are designed for. The Telemetry Tracking and Command (TT&C) Ground Segment operation and maintenance as well as the satellite operation in orbit is done by the Tracking and Control Center (CRC) of INPE. The CRC is composed by the Satellite Control Center and by the Cuiabá and Alcântara Stations

Satellite Tracking and Control Center (CRC) are performed on the main campus at São José do Campos and at the regional facilities in Cuiabá-MT and Alcântara-MA. The TT&C stations are the interface between the satellites and the Satellite Control Center. They are equipped with parabolic antennas and Radio Frequency equipment to transmit satellite telecommands generated in the Satellite Control Center and to receive the telemetry data from the satellites and send them to the Satellite Control Center. The connection between the Cuiabá and Alcântara TT&C stations and the Satellite Control Center is provided by a private data communications network.