Alcântara Space Center

Alcântara Space Center
AbbreviationCEA
Formation1982; 42 years ago (1982)
TypeSpaceport
Location
Coordinates02°20′22″S 44°25′03″W / 2.33944°S 44.41750°W / -2.33944; -44.41750
Official language
Portuguese
English
OwnerAerospace Operations Command
Brazilian Air Force
Brazilian Space Agency
Director
Col. Marcello Correa De Souza
Websitefab.mil.br/cla
Formerly called
Alcântara Launch Center

The Alcântara Space Center (Portuguese: Centro Espacial de Alcântara, CEA), former known as Alcântara Launch Center (Portuguese: Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara,) is a space center and launching facility of the Brazilian Space Agency in the city of Alcântara, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast, in the state of Maranhão. It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force (Comando da Aeronáutica). The CEA is the closest launching base to the equator. This gives the launch site a significant advantage in launching geosynchronous satellites, an attribute shared by the Guiana Space Centre.

Construction of the base began in 1982. The first launch occurred on February 21, 1990, when the sounding rocket Sonda 2 XV-53 was launched. On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people.

The facility is in a strong position for launching satellites into geosynchronous orbits, according to British astrophysicist, Jonathan McDowell. As such, there are plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4 and Israeli Shavit rockets, thought these may have later been launched from their home countries in Ukraine and Israel. In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket.

In the beginning of 2018, Brazilian government offered the possibility to use the spaceport to several U.S. companies. The company Virgin Orbit, was selected to fly their LauncherOne rocket from Alcântara in the first half of 2023.

Construction

Construction of the Alcântara Space Center began in 1982, as the Brazilian Space Agency's existing rocket range at Barreira do Inferno Launch Center was being overtaxed by growing demand for launch capacity. In 2020, the government of Brazil announced their plan to expand the base by more than 12,000 hectares.

Controversies

The construction of the space center was controversial, as the site for the center was located on several quilombos, settlements inhabited largely by descendants of escaped slaves in Brazil. In 1980, Brazil's military government forcibly relocated more than 300 families to inland villages away from the coast to make way for the center. This heavily disrupted their traditional livelihood of fishing and led to multiple cases of malnutrition among the residents.

Human rights concerns over the displacement of locals were reported on during the center's planned expansions in 2001 and 2021, with residents and activists lobbying the government to halt expansions to prevent more communities from being displaced. In 2023, the Brazilian government issued a public apology to the quilombolas and offered reparations.

Public-private partnership

Companies based in Alcântara as of 2021, with the objective of orbital and sub-orbital launches, for commercial purposes or in partnership with the Brazilian government:

As of August 2021, the Brazilian government established Ordinance No. 698, a regulation that follows the FAA 14 CFR part 450 standard, which deals with launch and re-entry licenses in order to follow the world standard in space activities.

Agreement between Brazil and the U.S.

In 2019, Brazil and the U.S. signed an agreement, with the objective of preventing unauthorized access or transfer of U.S. technologies related to the launches from Alcântara.

Structures

  • Engine preparation facilities (Preparação de Propulsores - PPP)
  • Payload preparation facilities (Preparação de Carga Útil - PPCU)
  • Liquid-fuel loading facilities (Preparação de Carregamento de Propelentes - PCPL)
  • Universal launch tower
  • Mobile Integration Tower (TMI - Torre Móvel de Integração): 33x10x13m, 380tons. Used for assembly of the VLS rockets.
  • Control center (Prédio de Controle Avançado - CASAMATA).
  • 2600m runway

List of launchpads

The Alcântara launch pads include:

Launch list

The list of flights conducted and planned from Alcântara:

Alcântara Space Center (from 2021)

Date Vehicle Type Operator Mission Payload Orbit Result Ref
14 December 2021 14-X (XS VSB-30 V32) Hypersonic glide vehicle FAB Qualification flight Suborbital Success
23 October 2022 VSB-30 Two-stage suborbital launcher AEB Santa Branca Operation PSM Suborbital Success
19 March 2023 HANBIT-TLV Single-stage suborbital launcher Innospace Astrolábio Operation (test flight) SISNAV Suborbital Success
NET August 2023 VS-50 Two-stage suborbital launcher AEB Qualification of VLM-1 subsystems TBA Suborbital Planned
NET June 2025 VLM-1 Three-stage orbital launcher AEB VLM-1 Maiden Flight (fully operational) TBA Low Earth Planned

Alcântara Launch Center (1982-2022)

Date Vehicle Mission Result Altitude
1 December 1985 VLS-R1 VLS test launch Failure Failure in flight, apogee of 10 km
18 May 1989 VLS-R2 VLS test launch Success 50 km
21 February 1990 Sonda 2 XV-53 Alcântara Ionosphere Success 101 km
26 November 1990 Sonda 2 XV-54 Manival Ionosphere Success 91 km
9 December 1991 Sonda 2 XV-55 Aguas Belas Ionosphere Success 88 km
1 June 1992 Sonda 3 XV-24 Aeronomy Success 282 km
31 October 1992 Sonda 2 XV-56 Ponta de Areia Ionosphere Success 32 km
22 March 1993 Sonda 2 XV-57 Maruda Ionosphere Success 102 km
2 April 1993 VS-40 PT-01 VS-40 Test Success 950 km
19 August 1994 Nike Orion MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere Success 140 km
20 August 1994 Nike Orion MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere Success 140 km
24 August 1994 Nike Orion MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere Success 140 km
25 August 1994 Nike Orion MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere Success 140 km
9 September 1994 Black Brant Ionosphere Success 250 km
21 September 1994 Black Brant Ionosphere Success 250 km
23 September 1994 Nike Tomahawk Ionosphere Success 270 km
23 September 1994 Nike Tomahawk Ionosphere Success 270 km
24 September 1994 Nike Tomahawk Ionosphere Success 270 km
24 September 1994 Nike Tomahawk Ionosphere Success 270 km
6 October 1994 Black Brant Ionosphere Failure 250 km
14 October 1994 Black Brant Guará H.Alt Spread F Ionosphere Success 956 km
15 October 1994 Black Brant Ionosphere Success 250 km
28 April 1997 VS-30 XV-01 VS-30 Test Success 128 km
2 November 1997 VLS-1 V01 VLS-1 Failure Destroyed during launch
21 March 1998 VS-40 VS-40 Test Success 900 km
15 March 1999 VS-30 XV-04 Operação San Marcos Success 128 km
11 December 1999 VLS-1 V02 SACI-2 Failure 10 km (Destroyed by range safety)
6 February 2000 VS-30 XV-05 Lençóis Maranhenses Success 148 km
21 August 2000 VS-30/Orion XV-01 Baronesa Success 315 km
23 November 2002 VS-30/Orion XV-02 Piraperna Ionosphere Success 434 km
1 December 2002 VS-30 XV-06 Cumã Failure 145 km
22 August 2003 VLS-1 XV-03 SATEC Failure Exploded on ground (2003 Alcântara VLS accident)
23 October 2004 VSB-30 XV-01 Cajuana Test Success 100 km
23 October 2004 VSB-30 V01 VSB-30 Flight Test Success 259 km
19 July 2007 VSB-30 V04 Cumã II Success 242 km
29 May 2009 Orion Maracati 1 Success 93 km
10 August 2009 FTB FogTrein I Success
12 December 2010 VSB-30 V07 Maracati 2 Success 242 km (payload recovered)
8 December 2012 VS-30/Orion V.10 Iguaiba Success 52 km
9 August 2013 FTB Operação Falcão Success 32 km
9 May 2014 FTB Operação Águia I Success
21 August 2014 FTI Operação Águia II Success
1 September 2014 VS-30 V.13 Operação Raposa Success L-5 liquid engine test
12 September 2018 VS-30 V.14 Operação MUTITI Success 120 km
22 May 2019 FTB Operação Águia I/2019 Success 2 launchers
25 June 2020 FTB Operação Falcão I/2020 Success 30 km
23 November 2021 FTI Operação Águia III Success ~60 km
14 December 2021 14-XS Operação Cruzeiro Success 280 km
01 June 2022 FTB Operação Falcon I/2022 Success 30 km
23 October 2022 VSB-30 V.29 Operação Santa Branca Success 227 km
Source: Astronautix (Until 2010)

See also


This page was last updated at 2024-03-25 15:12 UTC. Update now. View original page.

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