Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology (CTA)

The Brazilian General-Command for Aerospace Technology is the national military research center for aviation

Aviation

Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...

and space flight of Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. It is subordinated to the Brazilian Air Force

Brazilian Air Force

The Brazilian Air Force is the air branch of the Brazilian Armed Forces and one of the three national uniformed services. The FAB was formed when the Army and Navy air branch were merged into a single military force initially called "National Air Forces"...

(FAB).

It coordinates all technical and scientific activities related to the aerospace

Aerospace

Aerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...

sector in which there are interests by the Ministry of Defence

Ministry of Defence (Brazil)

The Ministry of Defence of Brazil, is the civilian cabinet organization responsible for managing the Military of Brazil. It is headed by the Minister of Defence....

. It was established in 1953. It currently employs several thousand civilian

Civilian

A civilian under international humanitarian law is a person who is not a member of his or her country's armed forces or other militia. Civilians are distinct from combatants. They are afforded a degree of legal protection from the effects of war and military occupation...

and military personnel.

Aeronautics and Space Institute (IAE)

In Portuguese, Instituto de Aeronaútica e Espaço. It develops projects in the aeronautical, airspace and defense sectors, co-responsible for the execution of the Brazilian Space Mission.

Aeronautics Technological Institute (ITA)

In Portuguese, Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica. It is one of the main educational colleges of the Brazilian Air Force

Brazilian Air Force

Institute for Advanced Studies (IEAv)

In Portuguese, Instituto de Estudos Avançados. Responsible for the development of pure and applied sciences: photonics

Photonics

The science of photonics includes the generation, emission, transmission, modulation, signal processing, switching, amplification, detection and sensing of light. The term photonics thereby emphasizes that photons are neither particles nor waves — they are different in that they have both particle...

, nuclear energy

Nuclear power

Nuclear power is the use of sustained nuclear fission to generate heat and electricity. Nuclear power plants provide about 6% of the world's energy and 13–14% of the world's electricity, with the U.S., France, and Japan together accounting for about 50% of nuclear generated electricity...

, applied physics

Applied physics

Applied physics is a general term for physics which is intended for a particular technological or practical use.It is usually considered as a bridge or a connection between "pure" physics and engineering....

, remote sensor systems and decision support systems. In 2006, the IEAv inaugurated the T3 Hypersonic wind tunnel

T3 Hypersonic wind tunnel

The T3 Hypersonic Wind Tunnel is a hypersonic wind tunnel of the Institute for Advanced Studies of the Brazilian Air Force. The T3 is largest hypersonic wind tunnel in Latin America. The tunnel is capable of producing airflow at speeds up to 25 times the speed of sound . It was fully constructed...

, the largest in Latin America.

Industrial Foment and Coordination Institute (IFI)

In Portuguese, Instituto de Fomento e Coodernação Industrial. It provides military aeronautical certification and aerospace equipment approval, acting as an interface between the institutes and the industry. Until 2006, it carried out the civil aircraft certification activities, today under the National Civil Aviation Agency responsibilities.

Museum

The CTA is also responsible managing for the Brazilian Aerospace Memorial (Memorial Aerospacial Brasileiro - MAB). It is located in São José dos Campos

São José dos Campos

São José dos Campos is a municipality and a major city in the state of São Paulo, Brazil and one of the most important industrial and research centers in Latin America. It is located in the Paraíba Valley, between the two most active production and consumption regions in the country, São Paulo ...

, São Paulo

São Paulo (state)

São Paulo is a state in Brazil. It is the major industrial and economic powerhouse of the Brazilian economy. Named after Saint Paul, São Paulo has the largest population, industrial complex, and economic production in the country. It is the richest state in Brazil...

, Brazil