Without revealing values or signing contracts, the Brazilian government announced this Friday (20) a partnership with billionaire Elon Musk’s Starlink, which should place low-altitude satellites in the Amazon.
In November last year, the Ministry of Communications had already announced this potential agreement and the partnership call. It is the third time that the folder meets with the owner of Tesla and SpaceX.
According to Fábio Faria, Minister of Communications, the satellites could be launched over the Amazon region “in the coming months”.
The launch of low-orbit satellites does not depend on a bidding process and can be closed through an administrative process at Anatel (Agência Nacional de Telecomunicações).
SpaceX applied for a license to the municipality last year.
Musk met with Bolsonaro, Faria and ministers General Heleno, Ciro Nogueira, Carlos França and Paulo Sérgio to address the matter at Fazenda Boa Vista, a luxury condominium in Porto Feliz, in the interior of São Paulo.
The billionaire had lunch with the presidential entourage and about ten businessmen at the farm’s Fasano hotel.
At the end of the event, Bolsonaro and Faria spoke with journalists for 18 minutes. They described how Starlink satellites can assist in monitoring the Amazon and mentioned the connectivity of schools – but no estimates were raised.
According to Bolsonaro, it is a “dating that will end in marriage”.
The meeting was scheduled for March, but was postponed due to the Ukrainian War.
Starlink is authorized to place 40,000 satellites in the world. Today, there are 2,000 launched 550 kilometers from Earth. The government did not say what the expectation of satellites for Brazil.
“His dream is to help with education, connecting schools in the countryside. I showed pictures of indigenous villages far away and he said ‘this is what I want,'” said Faria.
“He did not criticize the Amazon, as many did without knowing it. Instead of criticizing, he came here to add”, added the minister.
Musk’s trip was handled with discretion for security reasons.
Bolsonaro said that the billionaire’s arrival in Brazil is a milestone and that technology will show how the Amazon is preserved. Fábio Faria mentioned that Starlink satellites have a laser capable of detecting the noise of the electric saw.
The president also mentioned the region’s mineral wealth and the potential for investment in biodiversity.
Tesla, already valued at US$ 1 trillion (R$ 4.9 trillion) in the financial market, makes 100% electric cars. The company uses iron and lithium batteries in its cars.
Recently, Brazil increased its reserve to 8% of the global sum. Faria said lithium was not mentioned in the conversations.
“Obviously I talked to him about the niobium battery,” Bolsonaro said, adding that a research center in Campinas is “deepening studies to aggregate graphene and create a super battery.”
“He thinks it’s better to wait to invest,” he added.
Bolsonaro also said that Musk’s intention to connect the Amazon with satellite internet could help show the “truth” about the region, referring to forest preservation, criticized during his tenure.
The date
The president arrived at the Boa Vista farm at 10:33 am, got out of the car and greeted almost all the police officers present who were security at the place.
The event was closed and featured some college students, who asked Musk questions. He arrived in São Paulo on his jet at 9 am.
This meeting was broadcast by an advisor on social media. In a short speech, the president called the billionaire a ‘myth of freedom’.
“The purchase of Twitter for us here was like a breath of hope”, said the president, adding that “freedom is the seed of the future”.
Musk announced at the end of April his intention to buy the social network for US$ 44 billion (R$ 216.4 billion). The negotiation encouraged far-right groups, which were more penalized on the platform for disseminating false content in relation to public health (as in several episodes of the Covid-19 vaccine) and electoral processes.
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