Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara

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The Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA) is a satellite launching base in the city of Alcântara, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast, in the state of Maranhão. Its geographical location 2°17′S 44°23′W. It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force (Comando da Aeronáutica). It also has significant strategic military capabilities and has been reportedly used by the CIA as a fallback solution for clandestine operational launches within the entire southern hemisphere. The CLA is very close to the equator; in fact, the Alcântara site is the closest to the equator of any in the world. This gives the launch site a significant advantage in launching geosynchronous satellites, similar to the European launch site at Kourou.

Construction of the base began in 1982. The first launch took place on February 21, 1990, when the sounding rocket Sonda 2 XV-53 was launched. Also, the Ongoron I and Ongoron II rockets were tested here by the French Government in 1994.

So far only sounding rockets and the ill-fated VLS rocket have been launched from Alcântara. On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (VO3) killed 21 people. There are also plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launching Ukrainian Cyclone-4 and Israeli Shavit rockets; In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton and the Chinese Long March 4.

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, has stirred opposition among most of the villagers in the area, fearful of relocation to cramped agrovilas. These villagers are pursuing a legal right to their land as remanescentes das comunidades dos quilombos (escaped-slave descended communities). Brazil's 1988 constitution requires that the government award land rights to such communities.