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VLS-1 V02

{{Infobox rocket launch

| name = VLS-1 V02

| image =

| upright =

| alt =

| caption =

| rocket = VLS-1

| launch = 11 December 1999, 18:40 p.m UTC

| window =

| operator = {{hlist|Ministry of Aeronautics|AEB|INPE}}

| pad = Alcântara Launch Center VLS-Pad

| payload = {{flagicon|Brazil}} SACI-2

| outcome = Destroyed

| apogee =

| duration = 3m30s

| serial =

| boosters =

| first =

| second =

| third =

| fourth =

| adaptor =

| bottom_image =

| bottom_image_upright =

| bottom_image_alt =

| bottom_image_caption =

| succession =

| previous = VLS-1 V01

| next = VLS-1 V03

}}

VLS-1 V02 was the second flight of the VLS-1 rocket on December 11, 1999 from the Alcântara Launch Center, with the objective of placing the SACI-2 microsatellite in LEO. The rocket was remotely destroyed 3 minutes after launch.

Origins

The mission's goal was to place the SACI-2 satellite in into a circular orbit 750 km high. This followed after SACI-1, launched by China, was lost due to a transmitter failure. It was the second launch of the VLS-1 rocket, with the first being lost shortly after launch. The launch campaign was called "Operation Almenara"{{sfn|Folha de Londrina, 12 de dezembro de|1999}}{{sfn|Pioneiro, 11-12 de dezembro de|1999|p=37}}{{sfn|Jornal do Brasil, 11 de novembro de|1999|p=14}}{{efn|Translation: "Sliver of light".{{sfn|Jornal do Brasil, 11 de novembro de|1999|p=14}}}}, and occurred after the necessary modifications had been made.{{Sfn|Berquó|Coelho|Martinolli|Corrêa|2004|p=12}}

The total cost of the operation was US$ 7.4 million,{{sfn|Jornal do Brasil, 11 de novembro de|1999|p=14}} with the satellite being valued at R$2.04 million (U$ {{To USD/data/1999|2040000|BRA|resolution=3}}).{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 12 de dezembro de|1999}} The budget constraints prevented a test launch before the official launch.{{sfn|Tribuna da Imprensa, 27 de dezembro de|1999|p=4}} SACI-2's mission was to collect hydro-meteorological and environmental data as part of a study of space geophysics.{{sfn|Diário do Grande ABC, 10 de dezembro de 1999}}

In March 1999 the preparations at the Alcântara Launch Center were underway.{{sfn|Jornal do Commercio, 10 de março de|1999|p=4}} On June 18, 1999, Defense Minister Élcio Álvares observed the rocket's assembly and integration activities at the Aeronautics Institute of Technology.{{sfn|Jornal do Brasil, 19 de junho de|1999|p=4}} SACI-2 began to be assembled in July and arrived in Maranhão on November 28, 1999.{{sfn|Diário do Grande ABC, 28 de novembro de|1999}}{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 6 de dezembro de|1999a}}{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 6 de dezembro de|1999b}}

The launch was planned for November 20, 1999, but tests of SACI-2 in the thermo-vacuum chamber indicated a failure in one of the electronic components. The rocket was ready by the same month.{{sfn|Jornal do Brasil, 11 de novembro de|1999|p=14}} The satellite problem was solved by replacing the memory in the internal computer.{{sfn|Diário do Grande ABC, 28 de novembro de|1999}} If the satellite had not been repaired before launch, they considered dismantling the VLS or launching it empty.{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 11 de novembro de|1999}} The launch was later scheduled for December 7, but was postponed due to problems with the rocket.{{sfn|A Tribuna, 6 de dezembro de|1999|p=5}} On the same day, December 7, the launch center teams wrapped up the simulated countdown.{{sfn|Jornal do Commercio, 9 de dezembro de|1999|p=13}}

Around 600 people were involved in the launch, and the airspace in the region was closed for approximately three hours.{{sfn|Jornal do Commercio, 11 de dezembro de|1999|p=14}}

Launch

VLS-1 V02 was launched on December 11, 1999, at 18:40 (UTC),{{sfn|Silva|2021|p=353}} after a ten minute delay. The four strap-on boosters worked correctly, however, it was remotely destroyed after 3 minutes and 30 seconds due to the second stage not being activated. The debris fell within the interdicted area.{{sfn|Folha de Londrina, 12 de dezembro de|1999}}{{Sfn|Berquó|Coelho|Martinolli|Corrêa|2004|p=12}}{{sfn|A Tribuna, 11 de dezembro de|1999|p=6}}

The announcement of the failure only came one hour and 20 minutes after the accident. According to the official version, Brigadier Tiago Ribeiro, responsible for the announcement, would have been ill due to emotion after the accident.{{sfn|Folha de Londrina, 12 de dezembro de|1999}}

Aftermath

The announcement came from the INPE directorate in São José dos Campos, about an hour before an official military announcement. The Brazilian Air Force relied on help from fishing communities to locate the wreckage.{{sfn|Folha de Londrina, 12 de dezembro de|1999}} Its four boosters fell 60 kilometers off the coast of the Parnaíba region; the second stage and the rest of the rocket fell off the coast of Fortaleza.{{sfn|Diário do Grande ABC, 11 de dezembro de 1999}} Among military circles there were rumors that the VLS had been the victim of sabotage.{{sfn|Tribuna da Imprensa, 28 de dezembro de|1999|p=2}}

The Brazilian and international media had difficulty communicating with their newspapers due to overloaded Internet. The failure led INPE to cancel the microsatellite program.{{sfn|Folha de Londrina, 12 de dezembro de|1999}}{{sfn|Pioneiro, 13 de dezembro de|1999|p=18}} On December 13, 1999, President Fernando Henrique Cardoso announced that the project would be reviewed by the MCT, the Aeronautics and INPE.{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 14 de dezembro de|1999}}

The investigation revealed that the accident was due to a flame penetration of the second stage block and the front flexible heat shield flap.{{sfn|Palmerio|2017|p=138}} The next launch, VLS-1 V03, after plans to launch it in 2001,{{sfn|Folha de S. Paulo, 17 de março de|2000}} was finally scheduled for 2003.{{Sfn|Berquó|Coelho|Martinolli|Corrêa|2004|p=12}}{{sfn|Silva|2021|p=353}} However, on August 22, 2003, three days before the launch, the rocket was destroyed at its base due to an accidental ignition, leading to 21 deaths.{{sfn|Olhar Digital, 30 de agosto de|2021}}{{sfn|Froehlich|Alonso|Soria|Marchi|2020|p=265}} VLS-1 V04 had 70% of its structure built, but the program was terminated in 2016.{{sfn|Uol, 26 de agosto de|2022}}{{sfn|Silva|2021|p=388}}

Flight profile

class="wikitable collapsible"

|+Mission timeline{{sfn|Bôas, IAE|pp=18-22}}

!Time

!Event

!Result

00:00

|Liftoff

|{{success}}

00:55

|2nd stage ignition

|{{failure}}

01:09

|3rd stage ignition

|{{n/a}}

02:11

|Payload fairing separation

|{{n/a}}

03:00

|3rd stage shutdown

|{{n/a}}

03:30

| colspan="2" style="background: #ffbbbb;|{{center|Destruction due to non-ignition of 2nd stage}}

03:08

|3rd stage separation

|{{n/a}}

~07:00

|4rd stage ignition

|{{n/a}}

09:00

|Satellite orbit injection

|{{n/a}}

References

{{Reflist}}

Notes

{{notelist}}

Bibliography

{{Refbegin|30em}}

(Chronological order)

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  • {{Cite book|url=http://www.aereo.jor.br/downloads/VLS-1_V03_Relatorio_Final.pdf|title=Relatório da Investigação do Acidente ocorrido com o VLS-1 VO3, em 22 de agosto de 2003, em Alcântara, Maranhão|place=São José dos Campos|date=February 2004|last1=Berquó|first1=Jolan Eduardo|last2=Coelho|first2=Elizabeth Cabral|last3=Martinolli|first3=João Bosco|last4=Corrêa|first4=Cleber Souza|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131108044303/http://www.aereo.jor.br/downloads/VLS-1_V03_Relatorio_Final.pdf|archive-date=2013-11-08|url-status=live|pages=118}}
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  • {{cite thesis |url=https://educacaoespacial.files.wordpress.com/2010/10/ijespacial_06_veiculo_lancador_de_satelites.pdf |title=O Veículo Lançador de Satélites - VLS-1 |place=IAE |last=Bôas |first=Danton José Fortes Villas |pages=24|ref={{harvid|Bôas, IAE}}|lang=pt-BR}}
  • {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=NRw0EAAAQBAJ&dq=VLS-1+V02+hora+de+lan%C3%A7amento&pg=PA353|title=Desafios de Ícaro|year=2021|first=Bernardino Coelho da|last=Silva|publisher=Clube de Autores|pages=690|isbn=978-65-00-24466-3|lang=pt-br}}
  • {{Cite web|url=https://olhardigital.com.br/2021/08/30/colunistas/18-anos-do-acidente-de-alcantara-a-tragedia-que-marcou-a-historia-do-programa-espacial-brasileiro/|title=18 anos do acidente de Alcântara, a tragédia que marcou a história do Programa Espacial Brasileiro|first=Marcelo|last=Zurita|website=Olhar Digital|date=2021-08-30|ref={{harvid|Olhar Digital, 30 de agosto de|2021}}|lang=pt-br}}
  • {{Cite web|url=https://www.uol.com.br/tilt/noticias/redacao/2022/08/26/19-anos-da-tragedia-em-alcantara-foguete-brasileiro-explodiu-e-matou-21.htm|title=19 anos da tragédia em Alcântara: foguete brasileiro explodiu e matou 21 |date=2022-08-26|website=Uol|first=Marcella|last=Duarte|ref={{harvid|Uol, 26 de agosto de|2022}}|lang=pt-br}}

{{refend}}

{{Brazil space program}}

{{Orbital launches in 1999}}

Category:Test spaceflights

Category:Satellite launch failures

Category:20th-century rocket launches

Category:Spacecraft launched in 1999

Category:1999 in Brazil