Alcântara
Encyclopedia
Alcântara is a Brazil
ian city in the state of Maranhão
. The city has a population of 22,359 (2005), and is 30 km away from the state's capital, São Luís
.
Founded by French explorers in the 16th century
, Alcântara was later conquered by the Portuguese, who used the small village as a base to take São Luís from the Dutch in 1646.
The city was declared by the Brazilian government as a National Historical Patrimony. The city's economy is based mainly on tourism and fishing.
The Brazilian Space Agency
maintains a launch site in Alcântara.
The Alcântara Launch Center is located in the historic city of Alcântara, close to city of Sao Luis, capital of the State of Maranhão. The geographic coordinates are 2o18’ S e 44o 22’ W. The climate is favorable, characterized by two well-defined seasons: a rainy season from January to June, and a dry season from July to December. The annual average temperature is 26.5 oC, and the Wind blows predominantly from the East at an average speed of 12 m/s.
The Launch Center comprises the Cyclone-4
Launch Site, under the responsibility of ACS, and a set of facilities under the responsibility of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), which include general infrastructure and dedicated complexes for the launching of the Brazilian Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV).
The overall infrastructure consists of an airport with a 2,600 meter-long runway, a Command and Control Sector equipped with telemetry, communication, meteorology, radar and electricity supply systems, and an Administrative center with hotels, a hospital and administrative buildings.
The general infrastructure also includes roads, and a project for a seaport which is currently underway.
launch site are the Technical Complex and the Launch Complex. The Satellite Assembly Integration and Testing Building is located in the Technical Complex. This building has clean rooms for receiving, testing, fuelling and satellite integration to the launch vehicle payload unit. This building is connected to the Launch Vehicle Assembly, Integration and Testing Building, where the launch vehicle parts are received and tested, and the entire vehicle assembled. The integration of the payload unit, already with the satellite, to the launch vehicle is performed in this building.
The Launch Complex receives the Cyclone-4
launch vehicle horizontally by a railway that connects the launch complex to the technical complex. The launch vehicle is tilted to the vertical position, and the final tests are performed automatically. The launch complex is designed so that the launch vehicle fuelling and launching are performed automatically, thus allowing a safe and reliable operation.
On August 22, 2003, an accident
occurred when a VLS-1 rocket accidentally exploded
, killing 21 Brazilian technicians.
Helton da Silva Arruda
, a famous Brazilian goalkeeper, was born in the city.
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
ian city in the state of Maranhão
Maranhão
Maranhão is a northeastern state of Brazil. To the north lies the Atlantic Ocean. Maranhão is neighbored by the states of Piauí, Tocantins and Pará. The people of Maranhão have a distinctive accent...
. The city has a population of 22,359 (2005), and is 30 km away from the state's capital, São Luís
São Luís, Maranhão
São Luís is the capital and largest city of the Brazilian state of Maranhão. The city is located on Ilha de São Luís in the Baía de São Marcos , an extension of the Atlantic Ocean which forms the estuary of Pindaré, Mearim, Itapecuru and other rivers. Its coordinates are 2.53° south, 44.30° west...
.
Founded by French explorers in the 16th century
Century
A century is one hundred consecutive years. Centuries are numbered ordinally in English and many other languages .-Start and end in the Gregorian Calendar:...
, Alcântara was later conquered by the Portuguese, who used the small village as a base to take São Luís from the Dutch in 1646.
The city was declared by the Brazilian government as a National Historical Patrimony. The city's economy is based mainly on tourism and fishing.
The Brazilian Space Agency
Brazilian Space Agency
The Brazilian Space Agency is the civilian authority in Brazil responsible for the country's burgeoning space program. It operates a spaceport at Alcântara and a rocket launch site at Barreira do Inferno...
maintains a launch site in Alcântara.
The Alcântara Launch Center is located in the historic city of Alcântara, close to city of Sao Luis, capital of the State of Maranhão. The geographic coordinates are 2o18’ S e 44o 22’ W. The climate is favorable, characterized by two well-defined seasons: a rainy season from January to June, and a dry season from July to December. The annual average temperature is 26.5 oC, and the Wind blows predominantly from the East at an average speed of 12 m/s.
The Launch Center comprises the Cyclone-4
Tsyklon-4
The Tsyklon-4 or Cyclone-4, also known as Tsiklon-4, is a Ukrainian carrier rocket which is being developed for commercial satellite launches. Derived from the Tsyklon-3, it has a new third stage, a larger payload fairing, and a modernised flight control system compared to its predecessor...
Launch Site, under the responsibility of ACS, and a set of facilities under the responsibility of the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), and the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), which include general infrastructure and dedicated complexes for the launching of the Brazilian Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV).
The overall infrastructure consists of an airport with a 2,600 meter-long runway, a Command and Control Sector equipped with telemetry, communication, meteorology, radar and electricity supply systems, and an Administrative center with hotels, a hospital and administrative buildings.
The general infrastructure also includes roads, and a project for a seaport which is currently underway.
Technical Complex
The main components of the Cyclone-4Tsyklon-4
The Tsyklon-4 or Cyclone-4, also known as Tsiklon-4, is a Ukrainian carrier rocket which is being developed for commercial satellite launches. Derived from the Tsyklon-3, it has a new third stage, a larger payload fairing, and a modernised flight control system compared to its predecessor...
launch site are the Technical Complex and the Launch Complex. The Satellite Assembly Integration and Testing Building is located in the Technical Complex. This building has clean rooms for receiving, testing, fuelling and satellite integration to the launch vehicle payload unit. This building is connected to the Launch Vehicle Assembly, Integration and Testing Building, where the launch vehicle parts are received and tested, and the entire vehicle assembled. The integration of the payload unit, already with the satellite, to the launch vehicle is performed in this building.
The Launch Complex receives the Cyclone-4
Tsyklon-4
The Tsyklon-4 or Cyclone-4, also known as Tsiklon-4, is a Ukrainian carrier rocket which is being developed for commercial satellite launches. Derived from the Tsyklon-3, it has a new third stage, a larger payload fairing, and a modernised flight control system compared to its predecessor...
launch vehicle horizontally by a railway that connects the launch complex to the technical complex. The launch vehicle is tilted to the vertical position, and the final tests are performed automatically. The launch complex is designed so that the launch vehicle fuelling and launching are performed automatically, thus allowing a safe and reliable operation.
On August 22, 2003, an accident
Brazilian rocket explosion
VLS-1 V03 was a Brazilian Space Agency VLS-1 rocket, which was intended to have launched two satellites into orbit. On August 22, 2003, at 13:30 an explosion destroyed the rocket as it stood on its launch pad at the Alcântara Launching Center in the state of Maranhão in northern Brazil...
occurred when a VLS-1 rocket accidentally exploded
Brazilian rocket explosion
VLS-1 V03 was a Brazilian Space Agency VLS-1 rocket, which was intended to have launched two satellites into orbit. On August 22, 2003, at 13:30 an explosion destroyed the rocket as it stood on its launch pad at the Alcântara Launching Center in the state of Maranhão in northern Brazil...
, killing 21 Brazilian technicians.
Helton da Silva Arruda
Helton da Silva Arruda
Helton da Silva Arruda , simply Helton, is a Brazilian footballer who plays for F.C. Porto in the Portuguese first division, as a goalkeeper.-Vasco:...
, a famous Brazilian goalkeeper, was born in the city.