Alcântara Space Center

The Alcântara Space Center (Portuguese: Centro Espacial de Alcântara, CEA), former known as Alcântara Launch Center (Portuguese: Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara,[3] 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.[4] 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.

Alcântara Space Center
Clockwise from the top: VLS Pad, Control Center, Command Room, Tracking Antenna, Alcântara area from space
Location of the Alcântara Space Center
AbbreviationCEA
Formation1982 (1982)
TypeSpaceport
Location
Coordinates02°20′22″S 44°25′03″W
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
[1][2]

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.[5] On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people.[6]

There are also plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4[7] (as of December 2009 planned to be launched by the end of 2010[4]) and Israeli Shavit[8] rockets; In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket.[9] In the beginning of 2018, Brazilian government offered the possibility to use the spaceport to several U.S. companies.[10] The company Virgin Orbit, was selected to fly their LauncherOne rocket from Alcântara in the first half of 2022.[11][12]

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:[13][14]

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.[15]

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.[16]

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)
DateVehicleTypeOperatorMissionPayloadOrbitResultsRef
14 December 202114-X (XS VSB-30 V32)Hypersonic glide vehicleFABQualification flight—Low EarthSuccess[17]
H1 2022LauncherOne (Cosmic Girl)Two-stage orbital launcherVirgin OrbitLauncherOne flightTBALow EarthPlanned[18][19]
202xVLM-1Three-stage orbital launcherAEBSHEFEXTBALow EarthPlanned[20][21]

Alcântara Launch Center (1982-2021)
VLS1-V03 rocket on a launching pad
DateVehicleMissionResults
21 February 1990Sonda 2 XV-53Alcântara Ionosphere101 km
26 November 1990Sonda 2 XV-54Manival Ionosphere91 km
9 December 1991Sonda 2 XV-55Aguas Belas Ionosphere88 km
1 June 1992Sonda 3 XV-24Aeronomy282 km
31 October 1992Sonda 2 XV-56Ponta de Areia Ionosphere32 km
22 March 1993Sonda 2 XV-57Maruda Ionosphere102 km
2 April 1993VS-40 PT-01VS-40 Test950 km
19 August 1994Nike OrionMALTED/CADRE Ionosphere140 km
20 August 1994Nike OrionMALTED/CADRE Ionosphere140 km
24 August 1994Nike OrionMALTED/CADRE Ionosphere140 km
25 August 1994Nike OrionMALTED/CADRE Ionosphere140 km
9 September 1994Black BrantIonosphere250 km
21 September 1994Black BrantIonosphere250 km
23 September 1994Nike TomahawkIonosphere270 km
23 September 1994Nike TomahawkIonosphere270 km
24 September 1994Nike TomahawkIonosphere270 km
24 September 1994Nike TomahawkIonosphere270 km
6 October 1994Black BrantIonosphereFailure (250 km)
14 October 1994Black BrantGuará H.Alt Spread F Ionosphere956 km
15 October 1994Black BrantIonosphere250 km
28 April 1997VS-30 XV-01VS-30 Test128 km
2 November 1997VLS-1 V01VLS-1Destroyed during launch
21 March 1998VS-40VS-40 Test900 km
15 March 1999VS-30 XV-04Operação San Marcos128 km
11 December 1999VLS-1 V02SACI-2Destroyed by range safety (10 km)
6 February 2000VS-30 XV-05Lençóis Maranhenses148 km
21 August 2000VS-30/Orion XV-01Baronesa315 km
23 November 2002VS-30/Orion XV-02Piraperna Ionosphere434 km
1 December 2002VS-30 XV-06CumãFailure (145 km)
22 August 2003VLS-1 XV-03SATECFailure (2003 Alcântara VLS accident)
23 October 2004VSB-30 XV-01Cajuana Test100 km
23 October 2004VSB-30 V01VSB-30 Flight Test259 km
19 July 2007VSB-30 V04Cumã II242 km
29 May 2009[22]OrionMaracati 193 km
10 August 2009Basic Training RocketFogTrein I[23]
12 December 2010[24]VSB-30 V07Maracati 2242 km (successful; payload recovered)
8 December 2012VS-30/Orion V.10Iguaiba52 km [25]
9 August 2013FTBOperação Falcão32 km [26]
9 May 2014FTBOperação Águia I[27]
21 August 2014Intermediary Training RocketOperação Águia II[28]
1 September 2014VS-30 V.13Operação RaposaL-5 liquid engine test [29]
12 September 2018VS-30 V.14Operação MUTITI120 km[30]
22-23 May 2019FTBOperação Águia I/20192 launchers [31]
25 June 2020FTBOperação Falcão I/202030 km [32]
23 November 2021FTIOperação Águia~60 km [33]
Source: Astronautix (Until 2010)[34]

See also

References
  1. "FAB CEA". Brazilian Air Force. Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  2. "CEA Airport Info". Retrieved April 30, 2021.
  3. "Empresas dos EUA e do Canadá vão atuar no Centro Espacial de Alcântara", EBC, April 28, 2021, retrieved April 30, 2021
  4. Brazil, Ukraine to launch rocket together in 2010, UNIAN (December 3, 2009)
  5. "SONDA II". AEB. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  6. "Maior acidente do Programa Espacial Brasileiro completa 13 anos". G1. Retrieved November 20, 2019.
  7. President of Ukraine signs Decree on measures to ensure realization of Ukrainian-Brazilian project of creating space rocket complex "Cyclone - 4"
  8. "Launchers" by Tim Furniss, 26 August 2003, Flight International
  9. Interfax: Russia & CIS Defense Industry Weekly, 21 May 2010
  10. Reuters: U.S. space companies aim to help Brazil rocket base lift off
  11. "Virgin Orbit Selected to Bring Orbital Launch Capabilities to Brazil". Virgin Orbit (Press release). April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  12. "Business Interest Grows in Brazil's Alcântara Spaceport as Virgin Orbit Deal Announced". AEB (Press release). April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021 – via Parabolic Arc.
  13. "AS PRIMEIRAS EMPRESAS A FIRMAREM CONTRATO COM A BASE DE ALCÂNTARA". Época. April 28, 2021.
  14. "Governo seleciona quatro empresas para lançamento de satélites na base de Alcântara". Gazeta do Povo. April 28, 2021.
  15. El gobierno regula los lanzamientos de sistemas espaciales privados en Brasil. Date: September, 5, 2021.
  16. "Bolsonaro promulga acordo de salvaguardas tecnológicas com EUA na base de Alcântara". Valor. February 6, 2020.
  17. "FAB realiza primeiro teste de voo do motor aeronáutico hipersônico 14-X". Brazilian Air Force (in Portuguese). December 16, 2021.
  18. "Virgin Orbit Selected to Bring Orbital Launch Capabilities to Brazil". Virgin Orbit (Press release). April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  19. "Business Interest Grows in Brazil's Alcântara Spaceport as Virgin Orbit Deal Announced". AEB (Press release). April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021 – via Parabolic Arc.
  20. Krebs, Gunter (January 2, 2020). "VLM". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
  21. "VLM 1 and S-50". Brazilian Air Force. April 28, 2020.
  22. Xinhua: Brazil launches rocket to test launching base Xinhua. Retrieved on 2009-05-30.
  23. "CLA dá início à Operação FogTrein I - Tribuna do Maranhão". Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
  24. Brazil launches mid-sized rocket Archived December 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine FoxNews. Retrieved on 2010-12-15.
  25. "BRAZILIAN SPACE|Operação Iguaíba". brazilianspace.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  26. "Operação Falcão II. Mais um foguete lançado em Alcântara". Poder Aéreo - Aviação Militar, Indústria Aeronáutica e de Defesa (in Portuguese). August 9, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  27. MA, Do G1 (August 29, 2014). "Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara lançará foguete de sondagem VS-30". Maranhão (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  28. MA, Do G1 (August 29, 2014). "Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara lançará foguete de sondagem VS-30". Maranhão (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  29. "Operação Raposa é iniciada no CLA - CLA". www2.fab.mil.br. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  30. Aeroflap (December 1, 2018). "CLA realiza o primeiro lançamento previsto para a Operação MUTITI". AEROFLAP (in Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  31. "Operação Águia é realizada no CLA - CLA". www2.fab.mil.br. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  32. "Foguete é lançado da Base de Alcântara como parte de treinamento operacional". Canaltech (in Portuguese). June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
  33. "Operação Águia – CLA realiza lançamento de foguete de treinamento". Tecnologia & Defesa (in Portuguese). November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  34. "Astronautix: Alcantara Chronology and Launch Log". Archived 2003-09-01 at the Wayback Machine
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