Pablo de Leon speaks at space studies colloquium Feb. 5 Pablo de Leon, research associate in space studies, will speak at the Space Studies Colloquium Series, 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 5, in Room 210, Clifford Hall Auditorium. His presentation, “South America Space Programs and Development of Satellite Pehuensat-1” is free and open to the public. All faculty, staff and students are encouraged to attend. At the same time that the U.S. and the Soviet Union started their space programs, several countries in South America were also willing to enter the space race to a lesser degree. In the 1960s, Argentina started launching its own sounding rockets. In the 1970s, Brazil did the same. Today, despite the economic setbacks common to the region, several countries in South America have their space projects with advanced high altitude rockets, several satellites in orbit and strong research and development programs. Cooperation between the countries of the region and international partners is also very important and reaffirms the peaceful purposes of the space research in South America. A sample case of the non-governmental educational satellite Pehuensat-1 will be presented. -- Space Studies.