Alcântara Space Center

Template:Short description Template:Use American English Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox organization Template:GeoGroup The Alcântara Space Center (Template:Langx, CEA), former known as Alcântara Launch Center (Template:Langx,<ref>Template:Citation</ref>) is a space center and launching facility of the Brazilian Space Agency in the city of Alcântara, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast, in the state of Maranhão.<ref name=spaceBAC>Brazil, Ukraine to launch rocket together in 2010, UNIAN (December 3, 2009)</ref> It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force (Template:Lang). The CEA 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.

Due to its location, it is well-positioned for geosynchronous launch. As such, several agencies and companies have studied or signed agreements to launch from Alcântara, including Ukraine's Tsyklon-4,<ref>President of Ukraine signs Decree on measures to ensure realization of Ukrainian-Brazilian project of creating space rocket complex "Cyclone - 4"</ref> Israel's Shavit,<ref name="flightintl">"Launchers" by Tim Furniss, 26 August 2003, Flight International</ref> Russia's Proton,<ref name="interfax">Interfax: Russia & CIS Defense Industry Weekly, 21 May 2010</ref> Virgin Orbit's LauncherOne<ref>Template:Cite press release</ref><ref>Template:Cite press release</ref> and Innospace's Hanbit-Nano.

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.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Construction

Construction of the Alcântara Space Center began in 1982, as the Brazilian Space Agency's existing rocket range at Barreira do Inferno Launch Center was being overtaxed by growing demand for launch capacity.<ref>Template:Cite conference</ref> In 2020, the government of Brazil announced their plan to expand the base by more than 12,000 hectares.<ref name=":2" />

Controversies

The construction of the space center was controversial, as the site for the center was located on several quilombos, settlements inhabited largely by descendants of escaped slaves in Brazil. In 1980, Brazil's military government forcibly relocated more than 300 families to inland villages away from the coast to make way for the center. This heavily disrupted their traditional livelihood of fishing and led to multiple cases of malnutrition among the residents.<ref name=":1">Template:Cite news</ref>

Human rights concerns over the displacement of locals were reported on during the center's planned expansions in 2001<ref name=":1" /> and 2021, with residents and activists lobbying the government to halt expansions to prevent more communities from being displaced.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite news</ref> In 2023, the Brazilian government issued a public apology to the quilombolas and offered reparations.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Public-private partnership

Companies based in Alcântara as of 2021, with the objective of orbital and sub-orbital launches, for commercial purposes or in partnership with the Brazilian government:<ref name="Plan 1">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Plan 2">Template:Cite news</ref> Template:Div col

Template:Flagicon C6 Launch
Template:Flagicon Hyperion Rocket Systems
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Template:Flagicon Innospace<ref name="Innospace"/>

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As of August 2021, the Brazilian government established Ordinance No. 698, a regulation that follows the FAA 14 CFR part 450 standard, which deals with launch and re-entry licenses in order to follow the world standard in space activities.<ref>El gobierno regula los lanzamientos de sistemas espaciales privados en Brasil. Date: September, 5, 2021.</ref>

Agreement between Brazil and the U.S.

In 2019, Brazil and the U.S. signed an agreement, with the objective of preventing unauthorized access or transfer of U.S. technologies related to the launches from Alcântara.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

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

The Alcântara launch pads include:

VLS Pad (with Mobile Integration Tower - TMI) Template:Coord
MRL Pad (general sounding rocket pad) Template:Coord
"Universal" pad for rockets up to 10 tons Template:Coord
A newly built pad to support Innospace's launches Template:Coord

Launch list

The list of flights conducted and planned from Alcântara: