INPE - Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais
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| Abbreviation | INPE |
|---|---|
| Formation | April 22, 1971 |
| Legal status | Active |
| Purpose | space research |
| Headquarters |
São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil |
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Official language
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Portuguese |
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Director
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Ricardo Galvão |
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Parent organization
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Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation |
| Website | www.inpe.br |
The National Institute for Space Research (Portuguese: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, INPE) is a research unit of the Brazilian Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, whose main goals are fostering scientific research and technological applications and qualifying personnel in the fields of space and atmospheric sciences, space engineering, and space technology. While INPE is the civilian research center for aerospace activities, the Brazilian Air Force's General Command for Aerospace Technology is the military arm. INPE is located in the city of São José dos Campos, São Paulo.
On August 3, 1961, President Jânio Quadros signed a decree which created the Organizing Group for the National Commission on Space Activities (COGNAE). This group would give rise to the current National Institute for Space Research.
COGNAE, which shortly after became known as CNAE, started its activities by stimulating, coordinating and supporting studies on space related areas, besides breeding a team of skilled researchers and establishing cooperation with leading nations on the space area.
Initially, the research program was developed through its laboratories in São José dos Campos — still the main campus today. The studies included ionosphere sounding in the upper atmosphere through devices placed on the ground and mainly through scientific rocket payloads launched from the Barreira do Inferno Launch Center, near Natal.
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