Brazil’s first astronaut, Marcos Pontes, participated in a videoconference, Wednesday, April 5, with various members of the Brazilian government.
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said the whole country was proud of the fact that a Brazilian was in space.
"After so many years of waiting [Pontes has been in astronaut training for eight years], we finally sent a Brazilian astronaut into space where he is doing Brazilian experiments. That is something we can all be very proud of."
Lula asked Pontes about the experiments that Brazilian school children had developed with bean seeds. Pontes said he was working on the experiments with special care and that around 60% of the work had been completed.
He added that he hoped the experiments he was doing would stimulate other Brazilians to do scientific studies and become scientists, engineers and astronauts.
Lula asked what Brazil looked liked from 350 kilometers out in space. Pontes said that he had been deeply moved to see Brazil from space. As they spoke, Pontes said, they were flying over Russia.
Minister of Science and Technology, Sergio Rezende, also participated in the videoconference. He declared that the most important thing Pontes was doing was making young people aware of the importance of Brazilian scientific research and technology.
Pontes said he was eager to return to Brazil and bring the results of his experiments. "We are certain that your experiment results will be another reason for all of us to be proud of you," concluded president Lula.
Agência Brasil
Show Comments (1)
Guest
But that is was brazilian….
…children ask !
But this right is denied to them.
20 years or so, South Koreanwas not any better than Brazil.
Today 80 % of South Korean youths go to University and only 10 % in Brazil.
South Korea became an exporter of high technology and Brazil continues to be an exporter of agricultural products.
Why Brazil doesnt ask itself and analyzes what they did wrong and what South Korea did right.
When the answer will be found (it should have been found a long time ago), then you know what should be done and what should be changed.
When Brazilian politicians and a minority elite will stop taking everything for themselves, finally you could be at the start of a true change for a better future for the whole Brazilian society.
No one else will take care of your own destiny.
Loans made to Brazil are good only if they are invested appropriately for the benefit of the whole society and not only for a few.
If it goes, as is the case, only for a few, then the repayment must be done by the whole society, further penalizing their future.
And so on for the eternity, just the same as for the last 200 years.