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

Left to right from the top: VLS Pad, Control Center, Command Room, Tracking Antenna, Alcântara area from space
Location of the Alcântara Space Center
Abbreviation	CEA
Formation	1982; 42 years ago (1982)
Type	Spaceport
Location	Alcântara, Maranhão, Brazil
Coordinates	02°20′22″S 44°25′03″W
Official language	Portuguese English
Owner	Aerospace Operations Command Brazilian Air Force Brazilian Space Agency
Director	Col. Marcello Correa De Souza
Website	fab.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]

The facility is in a strong position for launching satellites into geosynchronous orbits, according to British astrophysicist, Jonathan McDowell.^[7] As such, there are plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4^[8] and Israeli Shavit^[9] rockets, thought these may have later been launched from their home countries in Ukraine^[10] and Israel.^[11] In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket.^[12]

In the beginning of 2018, Brazilian government offered the possibility to use the spaceport to several U.S. companies.^[13] The company Virgin Orbit, was selected to fly their LauncherOne rocket from Alcântara in the first half of 2023.^[14][15]

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.^[16] In 2020, the government of Brazil announced their plan to expand the base by more than 12,000 hectares.^[17]

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.^[18]

Human rights concerns over the displacement of locals were reported on during the center's planned expansions in 2001^[18] and 2021, with residents and activists lobbying the government to halt expansions to prevent more communities from being displaced.^[17] In 2023, the Brazilian government issued a public apology to the quilombolas and offered reparations.^[19]

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:^[20][21]

• C6 Launch
• Hyperion Rocket Systems
• OrionAST
• Innospace^[22]

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.^[23]

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.^[24]

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:

• VLS Pad (with Mobile Integration Tower - TMI) 02.31770°S 44.36779°W / -02.31770; -44.36779 (VLS Pad)
• MRL Pad (general sounding rocket pad) 02.31608°S 44.36730°W / -02.31608; -44.36730 (MRL Pad)
• "Universal" pad for rockets up to 10 tons 02.31599°S 44.36782°W / -02.31599; -44.36782 ("Universal" Pad)
• A newly built pad to support Innospace's launches 02.31698°S 44.36873°W / -02.31698; -44.36873 (Innospace Pad)

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	[25]
23 October 2022	VSB-30	Two-stage suborbital launcher	AEB	Santa Branca Operation	PSM	Suborbital	Success	[26]
19 March 2023	HANBIT-TLV	Single-stage suborbital launcher	Innospace	Astrolábio Operation (test flight)	SISNAV	Suborbital	Success	[22]
NET August 2023	VS-50	Two-stage suborbital launcher	AEB	Qualification of VLM-1 subsystems	TBA	Suborbital	Planned	[27]
NET June 2025	VLM-1	Three-stage orbital launcher	AEB	VLM-1 Maiden Flight (fully operational)	TBA	Low Earth	Planned	[27]

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[28]	Orion	Maracati 1	Success	93 km
10 August 2009	FTB	FogTrein I	Success	[29]
12 December 2010[30]	VSB-30 V07	Maracati 2	Success	242 km (payload recovered)
8 December 2012	VS-30/Orion V.10	Iguaiba	Success	52 km [31]
9 August 2013	FTB	Operação Falcão	Success	32 km [32]
9 May 2014	FTB	Operação Águia I	Success	[33]
21 August 2014	FTI	Operação Águia II	Success	[34]
1 September 2014	VS-30 V.13	Operação Raposa	Success	L-5 liquid engine test [35]
12 September 2018	VS-30 V.14	Operação MUTITI	Success	120 km[36]
22 May 2019	FTB	Operação Águia I/2019	Success	2 launchers [37]
25 June 2020	FTB	Operação Falcão I/2020	Success	30 km [38]
23 November 2021	FTI	Operação Águia III	Success	~60 km [39]
14 December 2021	14-XS	Operação Cruzeiro	Success	280 km [40]
01 June 2022	FTB	Operação Falcon I/2022	Success	30 km [41]
23 October 2022	VSB-30 V.29	Operação Santa Branca	Success	227 km [42]
Source: Astronautix (Until 2010)[43]

See also

• Aerospace Operations Command Brazilian space command
• Rocket Launch Sites Worldwide

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. Sheetz, Michael (March 19, 2018). "The key to cheaper US rocket launches may sit in Brazil's jungle". CNBC. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
8. President of Ukraine signs Decree on measures to ensure realization of Ukrainian-Brazilian project of creating space rocket complex "Cyclone - 4"
9. "Launchers" by Tim Furniss, 26 August 2003, Flight International
10. "Ukraine's little-known space feats – DW – 03/04/2022". dw.com. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
11. Gough, Evan; Today, Universe. "Israeli Shavit rocket delivers malfunctioning spy satellite into orbit". phys.org. Retrieved December 16, 2023.
12. Interfax: Russia & CIS Defense Industry Weekly, 21 May 2010
13. Reuters: U.S. space companies aim to help Brazil rocket base lift off
14. "Virgin Orbit Selected to Bring Orbital Launch Capabilities to Brazil". Virgin Orbit (Press release). April 28, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
15. "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.
16. Melo, Ajax B. (October 26, 1982). Alcântara Space Center. 6th Sounding Rocket Conference. Orlando, Fl.: American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. doi:10.2514/6.1982-1751. 82-1751.
17. Barros, Ingrid. "A story of slavery — and space". Washington Post. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
18. Faiola, Anthony (October 6, 2001). "Brazil's Spaceport Displaces Villagers". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
19. "Brazil apologizes for removal of Afro-Brazilian families to build spaceport". Reuters. April 27, 2023. Retrieved November 2, 2023.
20. "AS PRIMEIRAS EMPRESAS A FIRMAREM CONTRATO COM A BASE DE ALCÂNTARA". Época. April 28, 2021.
21. "Governo seleciona quatro empresas para lançamento de satélites na base de Alcântara". Gazeta do Povo. April 28, 2021.
22. "Set the Launch Window from December 14 to 21 for the First Test Flight of the Suborbital Rocket". Innospace (Press release). December 9, 2022.
23. El gobierno regula los lanzamientos de sistemas espaciales privados en Brasil. Date: September, 5, 2021.
24. "Bolsonaro promulga acordo de salvaguardas tecnológicas com EUA na base de Alcântara". Valor. February 6, 2020.
25. "FAB realiza primeiro teste de voo do motor aeronáutico hipersônico 14-X". Brazilian Air Force (in Portuguese). December 16, 2021. Archived from the original on December 16, 2021. Retrieved December 16, 2021.
26. "Foguete VSB-30 é lançado com sucesso da Centro Espacial de Alcântara". Agência Brasil (in Brazilian Portuguese). October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
27. "Lançamento ainda distante". revistapesquisa.fapesp.br (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved April 29, 2022.
28. Xinhua: Brazil launches rocket to test launching base Xinhua. Retrieved on 2009-05-30.
29. "CLA dá início à Operação FogTrein I - Tribuna do Maranhão". Archived from the original on April 27, 2014. Retrieved April 26, 2014.
30. Brazil launches mid-sized rocket Archived December 15, 2010, at the Wayback Machine FoxNews. Retrieved on 2010-12-15.
31. "BRAZILIAN SPACE|Operação Iguaíba". brazilianspace.blogspot.com. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
32. "Operação Falcão II. Mais um foguete lançado em Alcântara". Poder Aéreo - Aviação Militar, Indústria Aeronáutica e de Defesa (in Brazilian Portuguese). August 9, 2013. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
33. MA, Do G1 (August 29, 2014). "Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara lançará foguete de sondagem VS-30". Maranhão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
34. MA, Do G1 (August 29, 2014). "Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara lançará foguete de sondagem VS-30". Maranhão (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
35. "Operação Raposa é iniciada no CLA - CLA". www2.fab.mil.br. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
36. Aeroflap (December 1, 2018). "CLA realiza o primeiro lançamento previsto para a Operação MUTITI". AEROFLAP (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved May 15, 2021.
37. "Operação Águia é realizada no CLA - CLA". www2.fab.mil.br. Archived from the original on April 11, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
38. "Foguete é lançado da Base de Alcântara como parte de treinamento operacional". Canaltech (in Brazilian Portuguese). June 26, 2020. Retrieved May 15, 2021.
39. "Operação Águia – CLA realiza lançamento de foguete de treinamento". Tecnologia & Defesa (in Brazilian Portuguese). November 24, 2021. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
40. "FAB realiza primeiro teste de voo do motor aeronáutico hipersônico 14-X - Força Aérea Brasileira". www.fab.mil.br. Retrieved April 15, 2022.
41. "Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara lança foguete em operação de treinamento". br.noticias.yahoo.com (in Brazilian Portuguese). Retrieved June 11, 2022.
42. "Lançamento do foguete VSB-30 é realizado com sucesso durante a Operação Santa Branca" [Launch of the VSB-30 rocket is successfully carried out during Operation Santa Branca] (in Brazilian Portuguese). Agência Espacial Brasileira. October 24, 2022.
43. "Astronautix: Alcantara Chronology and Launch Log".

External links

• Official site Archived July 18, 2013, at the Wayback Machine (in Portuguese).
• Encyclopedia Astronautica about Alcantara, with maps, chronology and launch log.
• About the Alcantara Launch Center at globalsecurity.org.
• Space Today - Brazil's Atlantic Spaceports.
• Brazil spaceport threat to villages (BBC article).
• Alcântara Cyclone Space