Alcantara Rocket Launch Site (Alcântara)

Brazil / Maranhao / Alcantara / Alcântara / Alcântara Launch Centre
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A satellite launching facility of the Brazilian Space Agency operated by the Brazilian Air Force. It is the launch site closest to the equator which gives it a significant advantage in launching geosynchronous satellites (but see also the Guiana Space Centre). Construction began in 1982. The first launch occurred on February 21, 1990, when the sounding rocket Sonda 2 XV-53 was launched. As of 2019-03 only sounding rockets and VLS rockets have been launched from Alcântara. On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 (XV-03) killed 21 people. -Adapted from Wikipedia.
Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alcântara_Launch_Center
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Coordinates:   2°18'57"S   44°22'13"W
This article was last modified 4 years ago