The fourth satellite launched by China and Brazil came crashing back to earth after failing to reach its orbit, according to Brazil's Ministry of Science.
The satellite was part of a series launched in order to monitor land use in Brazil which includes keeping an eye on forests in the Amazon, according to Reuters.
The failed satellite was produced by China and Brazil and was carried to space on Monday morning by a Long March 4B rocket provided by China's Taiyuan satellite launch center, a statement from the Brazilian ministry said, according to Reuters.
"There was a failure in the launch vehicle during flight and the satellite was not positioned in the right orbit," the statement said, Reuters reported. "Preliminary evaluations suggest CBERS-3 has returned to Earth." The cause of the crash is currently being investigated.
The failure to launch the satellite into orbit is not delaying China and Brazil, as both countries have agreed to speed up initial plans of launching the fifth satellite in the series, the CBERS-4, Reuters reported.
China and Brazil hope the series will lessen the dependence on the United States and Europe for space and launch equipment as both countries hope to expand their aerospace industries, Reuters reported. Brazil's space program is currently third on a list of producers of commercial jet aircrafts and hope to obtain their own launch capabilities soon.
Plans are currently underway with Brazilian plane maker, Embraer SA, and the telecom company, Telebras, with a $560 million deal for a national defense and communications satellite to be placed in orbit by the year 2016, according to Reuters.
The satellite is being built by French aerospace supplier Thales and will be launched, when ready, by space-transport company Arianespace from the French Guiana, Reuters reported. Another reason for the satellites is so the Brazilian government can increase control over its unguarded border which runs throughout the South American continent, Reuters reported.
