Alcântara Launch Center

Alcântara Launch Center Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara
VLS satellite launcher
Location of the Alcântara Launch Center
IATA: none – ICAO: SNCW
Summary
Airport type		Military: Air Force Base and Spaceport
Operator		Brazilian Air Force Brazilian Space Agency
Location		Alcântara, Maranhão
Built		1982
In use		1989 - present
Elevation AMSL		148 ft / 45 m
Coordinates		02°22′23″S 044°23′47″W / 2.37306°S 44.39639°W / -2.37306; -44.39639
Runways
Direction	Length		Surface
	m	ft
09/27	2,600	8,530	Asphalt
Sources: CLA Airport Info[1]

The Alcântara Launch Center (Portuguese: Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA)) is a satellite launching base of the Brazilian Space Agency in the city of Alcântara, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast, in the state of Maranhão.^[2] Its geographical location 2°17′S 44°23′W / 2.283°S 44.383°W / -2.283; -44.383. It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force (Comando da Aeronáutica). The CLA 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. Also, the Ongoron I and Ongoron II rockets were tested there by the French Government in 1994.

So far, only sounding rockets and VLS rockets have been launched from Alcântara. On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people.

In early 2011 the new "TMI -Torre Móvel de Integração" (Mobile Integration Tower) construction on the VLS pad will be completed. It will be used to assemble and launch a new version of the VLS rocket in 2012.

There are also plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4^[3] (as of December 2009 planned to be launched by the end of 2010^[2]) and Israeli Shavit^[4] rockets; In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket.^[5]

Current government plans to construct a civilian launching center, operated by the Brazilian Space Agency (Agencia Espacial Brasileira) and adjacent to the military controlled CLA.

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

• VLS Pad (with Mobile Integration Tower - TMI) 2°19′06″S 44°22′03″W / 2.3184°S 44.3675°W / -2.3184; -44.3675 (VLS Pad)
• MRL Pad (general sounding rocket pad)2°19′00″S 44°22′02″W / 2.3167°S 44.3671°W / -2.3167; -44.3671 (MRL Pad)
• "Universal" pad for rockets up to 10tons
• Cyclone-4 Pad (under construction)

Launch List

Date	Vehicle	Mission	Results
21 February 1990	Sonda 2 XV-53	Alcântara Ionosphere	101 km
26 November 1990	Sonda 2 XV-54	Manival Ionosphere	91 km
9 December 1991	Sonda 2 XV-55	Aguas Belas Ionosphere	88 km
1 June 1992	Sonda 3 XV-24	Aeronomy	282 km
31 October 1992	Sonda 2 XV-56	Ponta de Areia Ionosphere	32 km
22 March 1993	Sonda 2 XV-57	Maruda Ionosphere	102 km
2 April 1993	VS-40 PT-01	VS-40 Test	950 km
19 August 1994	Nike Orion	MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere	140 km
20 August 1994	Nike Orion	MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere	140 km
24 August 1994	Nike Orion	MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere	140 km
25 August 1994	Nike Orion	MALTED/CADRE Ionosphere	140 km
9 September 1994	Black Brant	Ionosphere	250 km
21 September 1994	Black Brant	Ionosphere	250 km
23 September 1994	Nike Tomahawk	Ionosphere	270 km
23 September 1994	Nike Tomahawk	Ionosphere	270 km
24 September 1994	Nike Tomahawk	Ionosphere	270 km
24 September 1994	Nike Tomahawk	Ionosphere	270 km
6 October 1994	Black Brant	Ionosphere	Failure (250 km)
14 October 1994	Black Brant	Guará H.Alt Spread F Ionosphere	956 km
15 October 1994	Black Brant	Ionosphere	250 km
28 April 1997	VS-30 XV-01	VS-30 Test	128 km
2 November 1997	VLS-1 V01	VLS-1	Destroyed during launch
21 March 1998	VS-40	VS-40 Test	900 km
15 March 1999	VS-30 XV-04	Operação San Marcos	128 km
11 December 1999	VLS-1 V02	SACI-2	Destroyed by range safety (10 km)
6 February 2000	VS-30 XV-05	Lençóis Maranhenses	148 km
21 August 2000	VS-30/Orion XV-01	Baronesa	315 km
23 November 2002	VS-30/Orion XV-02	Piraperna Ionosphere	434 km
1 December 2002	VS-30 XV-06	Cumã	Failure (145 km)
22 August 2003	VLS-1 XV-03	SATEC	Failure (2003 Alcântara VLS accident)
23 October 2004	VSB-30 XV-01	Cajuana Test	100 km
23 October 2004	VSB-30 V01	VSB-30 Flight Test	259 km
19 July 2007	VSB-30 V04	Cumã II	242 km
29 May 2009[6]	Orion	Maracati 1	93 km
12 December 2010[7]	VSB-30 V07	Maracati 2	242 km (successful; payload recovered)
Source: Astronautix[8]

See also

• Rocket Launch Sites Worldwide

References

1. ^ CLA Airport Info
2. ^ ^{a b} Brazil, Ukraine to launch rocket together in 2010, UNIAN (December 3, 2009)
3. ^ President of Ukraine signs Decree on measures to ensure realization of Ukrainian-Brazilian project of creating space rocket complex "Cyclone - 4"
4. ^ "Launchers" by Tim Furniss, 26 August 2003, Flight International
5. ^ Interfax: Russia & CIS Defense Industry Weekly, 21 May 2010
6. ^ Xinhua: Brazil launches rocket to test launching base Xinhua. Retrieved on 2009-05-30.
7. ^ Brazil launches mid-sized rocket FoxNews. Retrieved on 2010-12-15.
8. ^ Astronautix: Alcantara Chronology and Launch Log

External links

• Official site (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