Alcântara Space Center

Alcântara Space Center
	Left to right from the top: VLS Pad, Control Center, Command Room, Tracking Antenna, Alcântara area from space
	Location of the Alcântara Space Center
Abbreviation	CEA
Formation	1982; 42 years ago
Type	Spaceport
Location	Alcântara, Maranhão, Brazil;
Coordinates	02°20′22″S 44°25′03″W / 2.33944°S 44.41750°W
Official language	Portuguese; English
Owner	Aerospace Operations Command; Brazilian Air Force; Brazilian Space Agency
Director	Col. Marcello Correa De Souza
Website	fab.mil.br/cla
Formerly called	Alcântara Launch Center

The Alcântara Space Center (Portuguese: Centro Espacial de Alcântara, CEA), former known as Alcântara Launch Center (Portuguese: Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara,^[3]) 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.^[4] It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force (Comando da Aeronáutica). 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.

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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.^[5] On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people.^[6]

The facility is in a strong position for launching satellites into geosynchronous orbits, according to British astrophysicist, Jonathan McDowell.^[7] As such, there are plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4^[8] and Israeli Shavit^[9] rockets, thought these may have later been launched from their home countries in Ukraine^[10] and Israel.^[11] In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket.^[12]

In the beginning of 2018, Brazilian government offered the possibility to use the spaceport to several U.S. companies.^[13] The company Virgin Orbit, was selected to fly their LauncherOne rocket from Alcântara in the first half of 2023.^[14]^[15]

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.^[16] In 2020, the government of Brazil announced their plan to expand the base by more than 12,000 hectares.^[17]

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.^[18]

Human rights concerns over the displacement of locals were reported on during the center's planned expansions in 2001^[18] and 2021, with residents and activists lobbying the government to halt expansions to prevent more communities from being displaced.^[17] In 2023, the Brazilian government issued a public apology to the quilombolas and offered reparations.^[19]

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:^[20]^[21]

C6 Launch
Hyperion Rocket Systems
OrionAST
Virgin Orbit
Innospace^[22]

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.^[23]

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.^[24]

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) 2°19′04″S 44°22′04″W / 02.31770°S 44.36779°W / -02.31770; -44.36779 (VLS Pad)
MRL Pad (general sounding rocket pad) 2°18′58″S 44°22′02″W / 02.31608°S 44.36730°W / -02.31608; -44.36730 (MRL Pad)
"Universal" pad for rockets up to 10 tons 2°18′58″S 44°22′04″W / 02.31599°S 44.36782°W / -02.31599; -44.36782 ("Universal" Pad)
A newly built pad to support Innospace's launches 2°19′01″S 44°22′07″W / 02.31698°S 44.36873°W / -02.31698; -44.36873 (Innospace Pad)

Launch list

The list of flights conducted and planned from Alcântara: