Brazil launches rocket into space

BBC NEWS | Americas | Brazil launches rocket into space

Hurray for Lula! Very interesting to witness this neo-space race with American rhetoric about a trip to Mars alongside chinese and Brazilian efforts to get their space programs at least to current EU levels (or beyond, to the moon, in the case of China). The reemergence of intensive space exploration does bring up some interesting points, notably the relevancy of space research to alternative energy concerns. The moon is a huge depository for a special helium isotope that apparently would be quite a feasible agent for fusion generation. This is reportedly the main reason China is aggressively pursuing a moon mission (alongside the elite status cachet of being part of the "moon club"--something the USSR never accomplished).

Lula has covered some impressive economic and social ground in his term as president since his ascension to the office. American fears of a controversial Chavez/Castro ally caused a devaluation of the Real preceding the victorious election, yet to date, Lula has stuck to well-grounded economic theory while still setting out to achieve ambitious social and economic goals. With the first stages of a symbolic space program and a burgeoning steel industry, Brazil continues to show great promise.