VLS Launch Vehicle

Brazilian satellite launcher building on successful family of sounding rockets.

Manufacturer: VLS. Launches: 5. Failures: 4. Success Rate: 20.00%. First Launch Date: 1985-12-01. Last Launch Date: 2003-08-22. Launch data is: continuing. LEO Payload: 380 kg (830 lb). to: 200 km Orbit. at: 5.00 degrees. Payload: 80 kg (176 lb). to a: sun synchronous, 800 km, 98.6 deg orbital trajectory. Associated Spacecraft: SACI, SCD. Liftoff Thrust: 1,048.900 kN (235,802 lbf). Total Mass: 49,609 kg (109,369 lb). Core Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Total Length: 19.50 m (63.90 ft). Development Cost $: 300.000 million. in: 1990 average dollars. Flyaway Unit Cost $: 8.000 million. in: 1999 unit dollars.

LEO Payload: 120 kg (260 lb). Apogee: 750 km (460 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 1,172.000 kN (263,476 lbf). Total Mass: 50,700 kg (111,700 lb). Core Diameter: 1.01 m (3.31 ft). Total Length: 19.50 m (63.90 ft).

Single stage vehicle consisting of 1 x S-43 VLR-R2

Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). Liftoff Thrust: 300.000 kN (67,440 lbf). Total Mass: 9,000 kg (19,800 lb). Total Length: 9.00 m (29.50 ft).

• Stage Number: 0. 4 x Stage: VLS-0. Gross Mass: 8,550 kg (18,840 lb). Empty Mass: 1,328 kg (2,927 lb). Thrust (vac): 303.000 kN (68,117 lbf). Isp: 260 sec. Burn time: 59 sec. Isp(sl): 225 sec. Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Span: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Length: 9.00 m (29.50 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: S-43. Other designations: Veiculo Lancador de Satelites.

• Stage Number: 1. 1 x Stage: VLS-1. Gross Mass: 8,720 kg (19,220 lb). Empty Mass: 1,536 kg (3,386 lb). Thrust (vac): 320.600 kN (72,074 lbf). Isp: 277 sec. Burn time: 58 sec. Isp(sl): 170 sec. Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Span: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Length: 8.10 m (26.50 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: S-43TM. Other designations: Veiculo Lancador de Satelites.

• Stage Number: 2. 1 x Stage: VLS-2. Gross Mass: 5,664 kg (12,486 lb). Empty Mass: 1,212 kg (2,672 lb). Thrust (vac): 208.390 kN (46,848 lbf). Isp: 275 sec. Burn time: 56 sec. Isp(sl): 204 sec. Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Span: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Length: 5.80 m (19.00 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: S-40TM. Other designations: Veiculo Lancador de Satelites.

• Stage Number: 3. 1 x Stage: VLS-3. Gross Mass: 1,025 kg (2,259 lb). Empty Mass: 190 kg (410 lb). Thrust (vac): 33.240 kN (7,473 lbf). Isp: 282 sec. Burn time: 68 sec. Isp(sl): 0 sec. Diameter: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Span: 1.00 m (3.20 ft). Length: 1.80 m (5.90 ft). Propellants: Solid. No Engines: 1. Engine: S-44. Other designations: Veiculo Lancador de Satelites.

1985 Dec - Launch Site: Natal. Launch Vehicle: VLS. Model: VLS-R1. LV Configuration: VLS-R1 VLS-R1. FAILURE: Failure.

• Test mission Nation: Brazil. Agency: IAE. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). References: 1836.

• Test mission Nation: Brazil. Agency: IAE. Apogee: 50 km (31 mi). References: 1836.

• SCD-2A Nation: Brazil. Mass: 115 kg (253 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: SCD. Agency: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias, Sao Jose dos Campos. Manufacturer: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias, Sao Jose dos Campos. Apogee: 3.00 km (1.80 mi). COSPAR: F971102A. The SCD-2A (Data Collection Satellite 2A) was a Brazilian satellite designed for the collection of meteorological data relayed by data collection platforms spread throughout the Brazilian territory. References: 4.

• SACI-2 Nation: Brazil. Mass: 80 kg (176 lb). Class: Technology. Spacecraft: SACI. Agency: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias, Sao Jose dos Campos. Manufacturer: Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espacias, Sao Jose dos Campos. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). COSPAR: F991211A. Second attempted launch of Brazil's indigenous launcher. References: 4, 552, 554.

• SATEC Nation: Brazil. Payload: SATEC. Mass: 57 kg (125 lb). Class: Technology. Agency: INPE. COSPAR: F20030822A. Launch was due on August 25. Was to have been on third qualification flight after two previous failures. The launch had already been delayed from October 2002, then May 7 and June 20 2003. It appeared that one of the strapon boosters ignited by accident. The two satellite payloads were also destroyed in the blast, as was the launch pad.

• Unosat Nation: Brazil. Payload: Unosat. Mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb). Class: Technology. Agency: Universidade Norte do Parana. COSPAR: F20030822B.

• McDowell, Jonathan, Jonathan's Space Home Page, Harvard University, 1997-present. Jonathan McDowell's complete on-line listing of all objects orbited and over 20,000 rocket launches Accessed at: http://www.planet4589.org/jsr.html.

• Isakowitz, Steven J,, International Reference to Space Launch Systems Second Edition, AIAA, Washington DC, 1991 (succeeded by 2000 edition). ISBN: 1563473534. Superseded by the later editions. More at amazon.com...

• Wilson, Andrew, editor,, Jane's/Interavia Space Directory, Jane's Information Group, Coulsdon, Surrey, 1992 et al. ISBN: 0710618107. The most comprehensive source of information for current space projects. Too expensive for human beings and most libraries. More at amazon.com...

• Isakowitz, Steven J, Hopkins, Joshua B, and Hopkins, Joseph P, International Reference to Space Launch Systems, AIAA, Washington DC, 2004. ISBN: 156347591X. The best reference on launch vehicles ever produced. More at amazon.com...