BRASILIA, Brazil (AEB PR) — The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), a public agency linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations, announced jointly with the Air Force Command (COMAER), responsible for the Launch Center located in the municipality of Alcântara (CLA), in the state of Maranhão, companies selected to launch orbital and suborbital non-governmental space vehicles. The announcement took place during an event organized by COMAER, on Wednesday (28), at the Brasília Air Base.

At the moment, three American companies, Hyperion, Orion AST and Virgin Orbit, and a Canadian company, C6 Launch, are under the contract negotiation phase with the Aeronautics. The public call notice was launched in May 2020 by the Brazilian Space Agency and COMAER. A second public call, referring to the use of another area within the CLA, has been in progress since last April 16th. The event was attended by the President of the Republic, Jair Bolsonaro, ministers, parliamentarians and ambassadors.

BRASILIA, Brazil (AEB PR) — After the approval of the Technological Safeguards Agreement by the federal government, in January 2020, the joint work for the development of the Brazilian Space Program continued. With the creation of the Integrated Development Commission for the Alcântara Space Center (CDI-CEA), on August 13, 2020, through Decree No. 10,458, the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), an autarchy linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MCTI) and coordinator of the Commission, seeks partnerships, including in the state of Maranhão.

Leveraging existing facilities at Alcântara Space Center, the LauncherOne system allows the first ever orbital flights from Brazil

LONG BEACH, Calif., April 28, 2021 (Virgin Orbit PR)— The Brazilian Space Agency (Agência Espacial Brasileira; AEB) and Brazilian Air Force (Força Aérea Brasileira, FAB) announced today that Virgin Orbit has been selected to bring orbital launch capability to Brazil, a country which has never successfully completed a domestic launch to orbit. Thanks to the unique mobility and small footprint of Virgin Orbit’s air-launched system architecture, launches to a wide range of orbital inclinations could quickly become possible without the need for new permanent infrastructure, nor the expansion of existing facilities.

Editor’s Note: This is intriguing press release from the Brazilian Space Agency about plans to conduct satellite launches from Alcantara Launch Center next year. The Atlantic coast spaceport, which is 2.2 degrees from the equator, has never hosted orbital launches despite several previous efforts over many decades that have come to naught.

It’s not clear what launch vehicle will be used. The press release mentions the Technological Safeguards Agreement with the United States that would allow U.S. satellites and launch vehicles to fly from Alcantara. A number of American launch companies have visited Alcantara to evaluate the spaceport.

Alcantara has always been the spaceport of the future. Maybe the future is now.

BRASILIA, Brazil (Brazilian Space Agency PR) — It is located in Alcântara, Maranhão, the largest space vehicle launch center in the country. Created 38 years ago, and having started operating in 1991, it is preparing to launch private launches from 2022. With the successful launch of the Brazilian satellite Amazonia 1, in India, Brazil confirms its ability to design, integrate and operate satellites and other state-of-the-art systems. Henceforth, depending on size and mass, satellites may be launched from the Alcântara Space Center (CEA).

by Douglas Messier
Managing Editor

The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) has issued its first operator licenses for space launch activities to a domestic software developer and an American engineering services company.

AEB awarded the licenses to Essado de Moraise Ltda. of Franca, Brazil, and Orion Applied Science & Technology LLC (https://orionast.com/) of Manassas, Va., the space agency said in a press release.

The president of Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) said on Sunday that Brazil plans a launch a domestically-produced orbital rocket within two years, according to a news release on the agency’s website.

“We are working on the development of a more powerful engine, which is the S50, a project carried out in partnership with the national industry in São José dos Campos (SP). It incorporates a number of technological advances. We intend to start testing the engine in 2021 and make it fly by 2022,” Carlos Moura said.

BRASILIA (AEB PR) — The Minister of State for Science, Technology and Innovations, Marcos Pontes, the President of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Carlos Moura conducted, on Wednesday (09/02), the first Meeting of the Integrated Development Commission for the Alcântara Space Center (CDI-CEA).

Also participating in the meeting were the Director of Space Policy and Strategic Investments of AEB, Cristiano Trein, and representatives of the Ministry of Defense (MD), the Ministry of Infrastructure (Minfra), the Ministry of Regional Development (MDR), the Security Office Institutional of the Presidency of the Republic (GSI / PR), of the General Secretariat of the Presidency of the Republic (SGPR), of the Air Force Command (COMAER) and of the Advocacy – General of the Union.

BRASILIA (AEB PR) — The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), an autarchy linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovations (MCTI), informs that companies registered in the Public Call aimed at carrying out launch activities using the Alcântara Space Center (CEA) in Maranhão, you have until 5 pm (Brasília time), on August 31, 2020, to send your proposals for analysis. Altogether 14 companies signed up.

 The proposals will be verified by the Special Analysis Commission, formed by members of the AEB and the Air Force Command (COMAER). The commission was created through an act by the President of AEB, Carlos Moura. CEA may be used in launch operations from 2021.

BRASILIA, Brazil (AEB PR) — The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), a government agency linked to the Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations and Communications (MCTIC), with the purpose of promoting the development of space activities of national interest, launches a public call to identify companies, national and international, that are interested in carrying out orbital and suborbital launch operations, using the Alcantara Space Center (CEA), in Maranhão State.

IAE PR — The Aeronautics and Space Institute (IAE) has successfully, the test of separation of the four engines of the first stage of the Satellite Launching Vehicle (VLS). The event was successful and simulated a situation that will occur about 32 km altitude when the vehicle is in flight. The test was carried out yesterday (29/09) in the laboratory of Integration of the IAE propellants and had a team […]