The ''VLS-1'' () was the
Brazilian Space Agency
The Brazilian Space Agency ( pt, Agência Espacial Brasileira; AEB) is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara, and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno. It is ...
's main
satellite launch vehicle
The Satellite Launch Vehicle or SLV was a small-lift launch vehicle project started in the early 1970s by the Indian Space Research Organisation to develop the technology needed to launch satellites. SLV was intended to reach a height of and c ...
. The launch vehicle was to be capable of launching
satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioisotope ...
s into
orbit
In celestial mechanics, an orbit is the curved trajectory of an object such as the trajectory of a planet around a star, or of a natural satellite around a planet, or of an artificial satellite around an object or position in space such as a p ...
. The launch site was located at the
Alcântara Launch Center
Alcantara, Alcântara ( Portuguese), Alcántara ( Spanish), Alcàntara, Alcàntera, El-Qantarah and (El) Kantara are all transliterations of the Arabic word ''al qantara'' (القنطرة), meaning "the bridge".
Alcantara may refer to:
People
* ...
due to its proximity to the
equator
The equator is a circle of latitude, about in circumference, that divides Earth into the Northern and Southern hemispheres. It is an imaginary line located at 0 degrees latitude, halfway between the North and South poles. The term can als ...
.
Associated vehicles include the
Sonda I,
Sonda II,
Sonda III and
Sonda IV, the
VS-30
The VS-30 is a Brazilian sounding rocket, derived from the Sonda 3 sounding rocket's first stage. ,
VS-40
The VS-40 (''Foguete Suborbital VS-40'') is a Brazilian sounding rocket using solid fuel, stabilized aerodynamically, distributed between the first stage S40TM (4,200 kg) engine and the second stage S44M (810 kg) engine.
This configura ...
and
VSB-30
VSB-30 - "''Veículo de Sondagem Booster – 30''" (Booster Sounding Vehicle) or "''Foguete Suborbital VSB-30''" is the designation of a Brazilian sounding rocket, which replaced the Skylark rocket at ''Esrange''.
The VSB-30 is based on the VS- ...
.
The VLS was cancelled after decades of development and high expenditures with poor results and a failed association with Ukraine that slowed the program for years.
History
VLS-1 development started in 1984, after the first launch of the Sonda IV rocket. To date, three prototypes have been built and two launches attempted, departing from the Alcântara Launch Center. During the V1 and V2 prototype launches (VLS-1 V1 and VLS-1 V2) technical problems prevented mission success, but allowed the testing of several vehicle components. The V3 prototype exploded on the launch pad on 22 August 2003, two days before its intended launch date. The
2003 Alcântara VLS accident caused a considerable setback to the Brazilian space program. The V4 prototype was expected to be launched in 2016.
[''Saiba como está o projeto Veículo Lançador de Satélite (VLS)''](_blank)
Brazilian Air Force. Retrieved on 2012-03-06. .
The project was terminated by Brazilian Space Agency in 2016.
The
Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial (DCTA) (Department of Aerospace Science and Technology) and the
Agência Espacial Brasileira (AEB) (Brazilian Space Agency) informed on public audience before the VLS-1 project ended by the
Senado Federal (Federal Senate) on February 16, 2016.
VLS-1 schedule
Initial flight test schedule
Final schedule
The V04 prototype was originally scheduled for launch in 2006. Further testing has resumed in 2008. The final VLS-1 schedule was as follows:
VLS Configurations
VLS-R1 test vehicle (1985)
The VLS-R1 test vehicle had two stages, arranged in the following configuration:
* Stage 1 - four S-20 rocket engines
* Stage 2 - one dummy S-20 rocket engine
VLS-R2 test vehicle (1989)
The VLS-R2 test vehicle had two stages, arranged in the following configuration:
* Stage 1 - four S-20 rocket engines
* Stage 2 - one S-20 rocket engine
VLS-XVI 01 sub-orbital test vehicle (2016, planned)
The VLS-XVI 01 sub-orbital test vehicle has three solid fuel rocket stages and boosters, arranged in the following configuration:
* Stage 0 - four S-43 rocket engines
* Stage 1 - one S-43TM rocket engine
* Stage 2 - dummy S-40TM rocket engine
* Stage 3 - dummy S-44 rocket engine
VLS-1 operational configuration (2018, planned)
The VLS-1 has three solid fuel rocket stages and boosters, arranged in the following configuration:
* Stage 0 - four S-43 rocket engines
* Stage 1 - one S-43TM rocket engine
* Stage 2 - one S-40TM rocket engine
* Stage 3 - one S-44 rocket engine
The rocket has four 400N
RCS
RCS may refer to:
Organisations
*Racing Club de Strasbourg Alsace
* Radio Corporation of Singapore
*Radcliffe Choral Society
* Rawmarsh Community School
*Red Crescent Society
*Red Cross Society
* Representation of Czechs and Slovaks, a football t ...
jets, located on the top of the third stage.
Developments
VLM
The
VLM (''Veículo Lançador de Microssatélites'') based on the
S50 rocket engine is being studied, with the objective of orbiting satellites up to 150 kg in circular orbits ranging from 250 to 700 km. It will be a three-stage rocket, expected to launch the
SHEFEX III mission by the
German Aerospace Center (DLR) in 2023.
[Brazilian space plans: 2011-2015](_blank)
nasaspaceflight.com. Retrieved on 2012-03-06.
"Cruzeiro do Sul" (Southern Cross) program
VLS Alfa
In the framework of the proposed
Cruzeiro do Sul program, the VLS-1 rocket is the basis of the
VLS Alfa VLS may refer to:
* Vapor-Liquid-Solid method, a method of growing nanocrystals
*Vermont Law School
*Vertical Launching System for firing missiles
*Von Luschan's chromatic scale of skin colour
*West Flemish, a dialect in Belgium, ISO 639-3 code
* V ...
project.
L5 rocket based configuration - three-stage rocket, with the upper stage being liquid-fuel, putting 200 to 400 kg satellites into low equatorial orbits:
* Stage 0 - four S-43 rocket engines
* Stage 1 - one S-43TM rocket engine
* Stage 2 - one S-40TM rocket engine
* Stage 3 - one L5 rocket engine
L75 rocket based configuration - two-stage rocket, with the upper stage being liquid-fuel, putting 500 kg satellites equatorial orbits up to 750 km:
* Stage 0 - four S-43 rocket engines
* Stage 1 - one S-43TM rocket engine
* Stage 2 - one L75 rocket engine
VLS Beta
The
VLS Beta VLS may refer to:
* Vapor-Liquid-Solid method, a method of growing nanocrystals
*Vermont Law School
*Vertical Launching System for firing missiles
*Von Luschan's chromatic scale of skin colour
*West Flemish, a dialect in Belgium, ISO 639-3 code
* V ...
is another related project, intended to lift up to 800 kg payloads to an 800 km equatorial orbit. Its first flight was planned for 2020.
Three-stage rocket, with the upper two stages being liquid-fuel.
* Stage 1 - one P40 solid rocket engine
* Stage 2 - one L300 rocket engines
* Stage 3 - one L75 rocket engine
Projected flights are:
VLS Gama
The
VLS Gama VLS may refer to:
* Vapor-Liquid-Solid method, a method of growing nanocrystals
*Vermont Law School
*Vertical Launching System for firing missiles
* Von Luschan's chromatic scale of skin colour
*West Flemish, a dialect in Belgium, ISO 639-3 code
* ...
is intended to carry up to 1000 kg payloads to an 800 km polar orbit. Three-stage liquid-fuel rocket.
VLS Delta
The
VLS Delta is capable of placing 2000 kg payloads in a geostationary orbit. Three-stage liquid-fuel rocket (VLS BETA body) with two solid fuel boosters.
VLS Epsilon
The
VLS Epsilon is capable of placing 4000 kg payloads in a geostationary orbit. Three-stage liquid-fuel rocket (VLS BETA body) with two liquid-fuel boosters.
Gallery
File:Memorial Aeroespacial Brasileiro (São José dos Campos, Brazil) 1.jpg, VLS-1 real size mockup
File:Motor vls1.jpg, Engine
File:Motor vls2.jpg, Engine test
See also
*
Comparison of orbital launchers families
This article compares different orbital launcher families (although many launchers that are significantly different from other members of the same 'family' have their own separate entries). The article is organized into two tables: the first tabl ...
References
External links
Brazil hopes to launch satellite rocket in 2011
{{Expendable launch systems
Rockets and missiles
Space launch vehicles of Brazil
Expendable space launch systems