page_title: Alcântara Launch Center
section_title: List of launchpads
hierarchical_section_title: Alcântara Launch Center / List of launchpads
caption_attribution_description: English: VLS1-V03 rocket on a launching pad for Alcântra Português: Foguete VLS1-V03 na base de lançamentos de Alcântra
context_page_description: The Alcântara Launch Center is a satellite launching facility of the Brazilian Space Agency in the city of Alcântara, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast, in the state of Maranhão. It is operated by the Brazilian Air Force. The CLA is the closest launching base to the equator. This gives the launch site a significant advantage in launching geosynchronous satellites, an attribute shared by the Guiana Space Centre.
  Construction of the base began in 1982. The first launch occurred on February 21, 1990, when the sounding rocket Sonda 2 XV-53 was launched. On August 22, 2003, the explosion of the third VLS-1 killed 21 people.
  There are also plans to launch several international rockets from Alcântara. In 2003 contracts were signed to launch Ukrainian Tsyklon-4 and Israeli Shavit rockets; In addition there are further plans to launch the Russian Proton rocket. In the beginning of 2018, Brazilian government offered the possibility to use the spaceport to several U.S. companies.
context_section_description: The Alcântara launch pads include:
  VLS Pad (with Mobile Integration Tower - TMI) 02.31770°S 44.36779°W
  MRL Pad (general sounding rocket pad) 02.31608°S 44.36730°W
  "Universal" pad for rockets up to 10 tons 02.31599°S 44.36782°W
  Alcântara Cyclone Space (ACS) Pad 2.2847597°S 44.3854562°W (Tsyklon-4, under construction, launch after 2015)
caption: VLS rocket on a launching pad in Alcântara.
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