Encapsulated by great powers
Alcantara Cyclone Space and Brazilian-Ukrainian cooperation in space market and technology
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22456/2178-8839.151864Keywords:
Alcantara Cyclone Space, Space Technology, Brazil-Ukraine relationsAbstract
The Brazilian-Ukrainian joint venture Alcântara Cyclone Space (ACS) was launched in 2006, combining Brazil’s equatorial launch site with Ukraine’s rocket technology to compete in the global space market. Despite its technical promise, the project was ultimately undermined by significant pressure from the United States and Russia. Using the defensive realist International Relations framework, the study explores how these great powers employed diplomatic, technological, and economic constraints to limit the venture’s progress and preserve their dominance in the space sector. Drawing on leaked U.S. diplomatic cables, the analysis shows how external interference progressively constrained the partnership, culminating in its dissolution in 2015. The findings highlight the structural barriers that middle powers face in pursuing technological autonomy amid great power competition in strategic industries such as space technology.
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Accepted 2026-04-16
Published 2026-07-10
