Alcântara Launch Center Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara |
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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 |
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Location | Alcântara, Maranhão | ||
Built | 1982 | ||
In use | 1989 - present | ||
Elevation AMSL | 148 ft / 45 m | ||
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 . 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.
Contents |
Date | Vehicle | Mission | Results |
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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] |
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