Alcantara
Site · Brazil
Original archive entry. The text, images and links below are kept as they were written.

Credit: © Mark Wade
Alcantara Space Center. Sounding rocket and the launch complex for Brazil's indigenous VLS orbital booster was located here.
Minimum Inclination: 2.0 degrees. Maximum Inclination: 100.0 degrees.
Subtopics
- Alcantara VLS VLS launch complex.
- Alcantara HAD HAD launcher
- Alcantara RAG RAG launcher
- Alcantara MRL MRL launcher
- Alcantara UL UL launcher
Related
- Country
- Brazil
- Launch Vehicles
- Nike Tomahawk, Viper, Black Brant VC, Sonda 2, Sonda 3, Nike Orion, Black Brant X, Improved Orion, VS-30, VLS-1, VS-30/Orion, VSB-30, VS-40
- Launch Sites
- Alcantara VLS, Alcantara HAD, Alcantara RAG, Alcantara MRL, Alcantara UL
- Agency
- AEB
- Bibliography
- 2
Photo Gallery
Chronology
85 events
1990 February 21
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 2.1990 November 26
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 2.1991 December 9
21:05 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 2.1992 June 1
02:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 3.1992 October 31
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 2.1993 March 22
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 2.1993 April 2
10:34 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-40.1994 August 16
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 17
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 18
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 19
15:08 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Orion.- GUARA MALTED / CADRE Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 125 km (77 mi).
1994 August 20
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 20
02:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Orion.- GUARA MALTED / CADRE Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 125 km (77 mi).
1994 August 21
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 22
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 23
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 24
13:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Orion.- GUARA MALTED / CADRE Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 127 km (78 mi).
1994 August 25
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 25
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 25
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Viper. Launch Vehicle: Viper 3A.1994 August 25
01:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Orion.- GUARA MALTED / CADRE Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 126 km (78 mi).
1994 September 9
13:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VC.1994 September 21
13:56 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VC.1994 September 23
21:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk.- GUARA Sunset Electrodynamics Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 270 km (160 mi).
1994 September 23
21:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk.- GUARA Sunset Electrodynamics Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 270 km (160 mi).
1994 September 24
21:15 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk.- GUARA Sunset Electrodynamics Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 270 km (160 mi).
1994 September 24
21:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Tomahawk. Launch Vehicle: Nike Tomahawk.- GUARA Sunset Electrodynamics Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA Greenbelt. Apogee: 270 km (160 mi).
1994 October 6
13:22 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VC. FAILURE: Failure.1994 October 14
22:55 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant X.- GUARA High Altitude Spread F Ionosphere mission - . Nation: USA. Agency: NASA. Apogee: 956 km (594 mi).
1994 October 15
13:41 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Black Brant. Launch Vehicle: Black Brant VC.1995 December 19
01:17 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: Sonda 3.1997 April 28
16:42 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30.1997 November 2
12:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Complex: Alcantara VLS. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VLS-1. FAILURE: Destroyed during launch.. Failed Stage: 1.- SCD-2A - . Mass: 115 kg (253 lb). Nation: Brazil. Agency: AEB. Manufacturer: INPE. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: SCD. Apogee: 3.00 km (1.80 mi). 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..
1998 March 21
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-40.1999 March 15
09:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30.1999 December 11
18:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Complex: Alcantara VLS. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VLS-1. FAILURE: Second stage failed to ignite; destroyed by range safety.. Failed Stage: 2.- SACI-2 - . Mass: 80 kg (176 lb). Nation: Brazil. Agency: AEB. Manufacturer: INPE. Class: Technology. Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: SACI. Apogee: 10 km (6 mi). Second attempted launch of Brazil's indigenous launcher..
2000 February 6
16:37 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30.2000 August 21
20:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30/Orion.2002 November 23
22:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30/Orion.2002 December 1
12:33 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30. FAILURE: Failure.2003 August 22
16:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Complex: Alcantara VLS. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VLS-1. FAILURE: Failure - Exploded on pad during final prelaunch processing. 21 people were killed, with none injured.. Failed Stage: 1.- SATEC - .
Payload: SATEC. Mass: 57 kg (125 lb). Nation: Brazil.
Agency: INPE.
Class: Technology.
Type: Navigation technology satellite. Spacecraft: SATEC.
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 - . Payload: Unosat. Mass: 9.00 kg (19.80 lb). Nation: Brazil. Agency: Parana. Class: Technology. Type: Technology satellite. Spacecraft: Unosat. COSPAR: F20030822B.
2004 October 23
16:51 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VSB-30.- Cajuana test - .
Nation: Brazil.
Agency: AEB.
Apogee: 240 km (140 mi).
Unguided test launch. During the 45 seconds total burn time of both motors the vehicle was accelerated to a final velocity of 1676 m/s. The payload segment with an approximate weight of 400 kg was carried to an apogee height of almost 240 km, which was reached 252 seconds after lift-off. At T+650 seconds the payload landed 190 km northeast of the launch site in the ocean, only 700 meters from the nominal impact point.
2007 July 19
15:13 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VSB-30.2009 May 29
13:25 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Improved Orion.- Maracati 1 - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 93 km (57 mi). Test.
2009 August 10
18:18 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2009 August 13
14:21 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2010 April 27
18:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2010 July 26
17:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2010 September 20
18:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2010 September 30
19:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2010 December 6
17:19 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Hawk. Launch Vehicle: Improved Orion.- Maracati 2 - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 103 km (64 mi). Range test prior to Microg 1A launch..
2010 December 12
15:35 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VSB-30.- MICROG 1A - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 242 km (150 mi). Microgravity payload..
2011 May 26
17:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2011 May 27
17:10 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2011 June 16
17:30 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2011 June 17
17:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2011 August 31
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2011 September 2
Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2012 March 14
18:39 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 May 21
17:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 May 29
16:50 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 August 8
19:59 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 September 27
17:11 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 October 31
17:03 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 November 7
17:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2012 November 13
19:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2012 November 29
17:52 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2012 December 8
21:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30/Orion.- AEB VS30/O V10 - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 428 km (265 mi). Ionosphere instruments..
2013 May 23
Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2013 June 13
18:14 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2013 August 8
17:51 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2014 March 12
16:00 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. Launch Vehicle: FTB.2014 May 9
18:08 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: FTB. Launch Vehicle: FTI.2014 September 2
02:02 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30.- EPL-ME - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 130 km (80 mi). Test of Brazi's first liquid propulsion system, the 5 kN LOX/ethanol EPL L5, as a second stage on a VS-30 sounding rocket..
2018 December 9
15:43 GMT - . Launch Site: Alcantara. LV Family: Sonda. Launch Vehicle: VS-30.- PSR-01 - . Nation: Brazil. Apogee: 120 km (70 mi). Technology mission. Impacted Atlantic.
