Brazil Completes Successful Rocket Launch

[drwayne]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=624&ncid=753&e=2&u=/ap/20041024/ap_on_sc/brazil_rocket_launch<br /><br />RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - Brazil successfully launched its first rocket into space, 14 months after a devastating accident that killed 21 space agency employees and damaged the reputation of the country's space program. <br /><br /> <br /><br />The two-stage rocket, named VSB-30, or Brazilian Exploration Vehicle, was launched Saturday afternoon from the Alcantara launch site in Maranhao, about 1,700 miles north of Rio de Janeiro, said officials with the Brazilian Air Force's Research and Development Department. <br /><br /><br />The successful launch would not only restore the reputation of Latin America's first space program, but it would also allow it to follow through on plans to export the rockets to the European Space Agency where it would reportedly replace the equivalent British-made Skylark rocket. <br /><br /><br />Brazil plans to sell up to 15 of the rockets, which can carry up to 870 pounds and fly up to 155 miles. <br /><br /><br />The program was dealt a huge blow in August 2003 when its VLS-1 VO3 rocket exploded in a fiery ball on the launch platform three days before its scheduled launch. The rocket was carrying two research satellites. <br /><br /><br />The report on the disaster investigation confirmed that an electrical flaw triggered one of the rocket's four solid fuel boosters during final preparations at the seaside launch pad. <br /><br /><br />The accident was the third failure for Brazil's space program, but it was the first in which anyone died. In 1997, a rocket launched from Alcantara crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after liftoff. In 1999, officials destroyed a rocket after it veered off course three minutes after takeoff. <br /><br /><br />Air force officials said Sat <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p>"1) Give no quarter; 2) Take no prisoners; 3) Sink everything."  Admiral Jackie Fisher</p> </div>

 

[liquidspace2k]

The Alcantara base is considered an excellent launch site because of its location. It sits just 2.3 degrees south of the Equator, the line at which the Earth moves the fastest, helping propel rockets into space while using up to 13 percent less fuel. This allows the rockets to carry heavier payloads. <br />-------------------------------------------------------<br />is that 13 less fuel then if the same rocket would launch from Florida... cause it says 13 percent less fuel, but less then what...

 

[liquidspace2k]

Brazil plans to sell up to 15 of the rockets, which can carry up to 870 pounds and fly up to 155 miles. <br /><br />I believe the rocket that launched should have had the same weight and flight height.

 

[mrmorris]

Apparently it's just a sounding rocket:<br /><br /><i>Title: <br /> The development of the VSB-30 sounding rocket vehicle <br /><br />Authors: <br /> Palmerio, Ariovaldo Felix; Peres da Silva, José Pedro Claro; Turner, Peter; Jung, Wolfgang <br />Journal: <br /> In: 16th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research, 2 - 5 June 2003, Sankt Gallen, Switzerland. Ed.: Barbara Warmbein. ESA SP-530, Noordwijk: ESA <br /><br /><br />Abstract<br />The genesis of the VSB-30 lies in the SONDA III vehicle, which had its first flight in 1976. In 1996, DLR proposed to Centro Técnico Aerospacial (CTA) the adaptation of its Mini-TEXUS payload to the first stage of SONDA III. This new single stage vehicle is known as VS-30. In 2001, the Unified Microgravity Program for Sounding Rockets proposed to CTA the development of a boosted version of the VS-30. The challenge was accepted and the development of the S31 booster motor started. This work presents the technical aspects of the development of the S31 motor and of the new VSB-30 vehicle. The qualification of the motor will consist of three static firings. The maiden flight is plannned for the beginning of 2004 in Alcântara. The first operational flight from Kiruna is scheduled for the second semester of 2005.</i>

 

[CalliArcale]

Sounding rocket or launch vehicle, it's still cool. It's high time another country got into the launch business. <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" /> <div class="Discussion_UserSignature"> <p> </p><p><font color="#666699"><em>"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but actually from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly . . . timey wimey . . . stuff."</em>  -- The Tenth Doctor, "Blink"</font></p> </div>

 

[najab]

This Google Translation of a Brazilian site says that they are trying to sell this rocket to ESA to replace the British built Skylark.

 

[beakman]

Just to clarify the subject, I’ve seen a lot of wrong information out there, even at Brazilian press:<br />VSB-30 is a two-stage <b>sounding rocket</b>. It was designed to carry a 400-Kg scientific payload on a suborbital flight, with an apogee of 250 Km, and to stay above 110 Km for at least 350 seconds (microgravity environment).<br />Brazil is making sounding rockets since the 60´s. The VSB-30 rocket is a new project and it does have some enhancements, mainly to restrict the impact area, so that it can be launched from facilities at (more populated) Europe. It’s possible that it will replace the British Skylark 7 rocket for European microgravity research.<br />As soon I have official flight data, I can post (or link) it here, if you think it’s interesting…<br />