The cooperation for space exploration in Latin America, progress and challenges

Paper number

IAC-14,E3,1,12,x24691

Author

Prof. Camilo Guzman Gomez, UNIVERSIDAD SERGIO ARBOLEDA, Colombia

Year

2014

Abstract

The cooperation on space exploration is an essential element to achieve significant progress in developing countries especially given the needs and costs of exploration .

In the Latin American region , the vast majority of countries have little experience in space and projects Planetary Exploration Robotic and Human Spaceflight seem distant in time

So far , the cooperation among these countries has been nonexistent or very recent.  Nevertheless, the region has common needs and common problematic , cooperation has been essentially a cooperation between countries in the region with developed countries or space faring nations . Although this cooperation has allowed the development of national activities in countries like Brazil, Argentina and Venezuela, the need to respond to the aspirations of nations it ‘s essential a regional cooperation .

Several major attempts has been done to establish regional cooperation. This process began in 1991 with the Space Conference of the Americas. In the 6 meetings held so far, much progress has been made and many space agencies were created. However, no specific projects have been created and the future of this mechanism is uncertain.

Another attempt resulted in a spatial cooperation UNASUR meeting in which it was determined the creation of a regional agency, but neither have seen concrete results.

Finally , under the impetus of the International academy of astronautics (IAA) , international experts, academia and space agencies of the region, at a preparatory workshop for the meeting of Heads of Space Agencies organized in Washington, the head of the regional agencies had declared the importance of establishing a regional cooperation mechanism. From this meeting turned the idea of ​​creating an alliance of space agencies, as a flexible mechanism for creating common projects and as a forum for reflection on possible projects and contributions of the region in terms of space exploration. It also seeks to establish a university and regional industry cooperation.

This paper aims to show the results of this preparatory workshop and establish the mechanisms and challenges of cooperation in Latin America in the field of space exploration .

Abstract document

IAC-14,E3,1,12,x24691.brief.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-14,E3,1,12,x24691.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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