The South American country of Maranhao established a space program in 2025. The purpose of the space center is to act as a spaceport for the country. A manned space mission to Mars is planned for June 2026, in which, 4 teenagers from the United States will be sent to Mars via a rocket launched from the spaceport. Since Maranhao is the poorest country in the world of Joe’s Lore, it needs funding from international donations to support its space program. If successful, Maranhao will be the first Portuguese speaking country to land on a celestial body other than Earth.
