Technology
Space /
Brazil
Virgin Orbit
Company may launch rockets from Brazil
Boeing 747 da Virgin Orbit, que fará o lançamento
By Crishazzard - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Rafael Ramos
5/14/2021
On January 17, 2021, Virgin Orbit, startup of billionaire Richard Branson, successfully completed its first launch of a rocket into space from a moving Boeing 747. The Boeing was called the Cosmic Girl and left the Mojave test base. The idea now is that the plane can take off from the base of Alcâmtara, in Brazil.
The Alcântara base is installed in a strategic location on the terrestrial globe, so that, from there, the kinetic energy and potential of the launch plane combined with the greater tangential speed on the Earth's surface, given that the Alcântara base is located close to the equator, it would contribute to save space vehicle fuel, resulting in a more efficient operation, since this fuel economy can be converted into a higher payload or could be used to reach higher altitudes. Thus, the launch of the LauncherOne rocket would make much more sense in Alcântara than in Mojave.
Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA), no Maranhão.
Um local estratégico para lançamentos espaciais
Divulgação/FAB
Other companies were selected to launch orbital and suborbital non-governmental space vehicles at the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA) in Maranhão. The announcement was made by the Brazilian Space Agency in conjunction with the Brazilian Air Force, responsible for the Alcântara base, on April 28. The other companies (Hyperion, Orion AST and C6 Launch) are negotiating the contract with Brazilian aeronautics. Contracts are expected to be signed by the end of 2021.
"After the ratification of the Technological Safeguards Agreement by the National Congress, this is yet another great historic step for the development of the Brazilian Space Program, with the objective of making the Alcântara spaceport an international reference, for launches by several countries," said the president of AEB, Carlos Moura.
The Boeing used in the launches makes use of the airstrip normally and without any need for special adaptation.
“There is no better place on the planet than Alcântara for an equatorial launch site. And with hundreds of kilometers of cross-range on our flying launch pad, the potential is limitless. We look forward to working with our colleagues at AEB and FAB to bring this vital new capability to Alcântara, ”said Dan Hart, CEO of Virgin Orbit.
According to the Reuters agency, the Brazilian space program aims to capture a niche in the global space launch services market. This market is very profitable (estimated at US $ 300 billion per year) and Brazil would be left with the market for small satellite launches, a market that is also growing and should reach US $ 18 billion by 2029.
Hyperlinks:
...
...
...
Rafael Ramos
Aviation enthusiast from an early age, he had his first contacts with the area developing that good old habit of spending dozens of hours in front of the screens of Micrsoft Flight Simulator and other simulators. With a solid background in various technological areas, including engineering and chemistry, Rafael has rejoined aviation as editor and author of articles and materials on our portal, providing invaluable help to the dynamics and expansion of the website and the aeronautical community, bringing us the news and updates so indispensable for us to remain current in our area of operation.
   
|