In the middle of Aviator's Day, celebrated last Sunday (23) Brazilian air force (FAB) launched the first rocket 100% produced in the country, the VSB-30. The rocket was launched by the Alcântara Launch Center (CLA), in Maranhão.
The project, according to the FAB, is part of Operation Santa Branca, and saw the VSB-30 launched from the Suborbital Microgravity Platform (PSM), developed by the Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço (IAE).
With Brazilian production and 100% national payload, the VSB-30 is a probe family rocket, which has solid propulsion stages, rotationally stabilized and capable of carrying payloads of up to 400 kg, at altitudes in the range of 270 km. In this launch, the rocket took on board the scientific experiment “Forno Multiusários”, developed by the National Institute for Space Research (INPE).
The Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Paulo Alvim, was present at the event, who was accompanied by his entourage composed of Directors, Secretaries and Heads of Cabinets of the Ministry. In addition, the President of the Brazilian Space Agency (AEB), Colonel Engineer Carlos Augusto Teixeira de Moura, witnessed the launch.
“First, we have to celebrate the success of Operation Santa Branca. We are proud to see the competence of Brazilian professionals, who have not given up on the dream of carrying out launches here at CLA. The VSB-30 is a Brazilian rocket and this will be the beginning of a cycle of many achievements that will surely come”, said Minister Paulo Alvim.
Launch VSB-30
The rocket launch took place at 14:20 pm and reached its apogee after 4 minutes and 1 second, already at an altitude of 227 km, totaling a flight of 7 minutes and 44 seconds. The payload fell 185 kilometers from the coast and FAB soldiers specialized in this type of mission, aboard helicopters, rescued the cargo.
“Operation Santa Branca was successfully completed. There was a great deal of preparation with the teams from the Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço and Empresa ORBITAL, who carried out the PSM, an experiment that we are in the process of homologating. There were months of preparation for this moment and, for us at CLA, it is a feeling of accomplishment. Now we have all the necessary data to present to the launching companies”, reported the Director of the CLA, Colonel Engineer Fernando Benitez Leal.
Operation Security
In order to guarantee the total success of Operation Santa Branca, several security measures were taken. For the population living in the CLA region, the FAB issued notices alerting the entire population.
In addition, fishermen and riverside dwellers were instructed about fishing in the area. The same care was taken with regard to airspace, which was blocked for flights in the region.
According to Lieutenant Colonel Engineer Rogério Moreira Cazo, safety is the fundamental item for the success of the operation. On the organic issue, the Security and Defense Group (GSD) escorted the entire rocket until it reached the vehicle integration area. “We did all the area surveillance, with access and image control. We did a perimeter work with the placement of barriers that could guarantee the total safety of all people”, explained the Officer.
With regard to launch safety, careful care was taken, mainly due to the fact that approximately 95% of the cargo was made up of fuel. In this matter, Lieutenant-Colonel Moreira reported that the Brazilian Space Program rocket works with solid fuel, so, to avoid incidents, electrostatic discharge tests were carried out and the launch area was completely isolated.
“We monitored all possible issues that could occur and eliminated all of them. In addition, we protect ourselves so that any situation is resolved and remedied. With all these precautions, we reached our goal and the mission was a success”, he concluded.
Operation Santa Branca
Operation Santa Branca consists of launching the VSB-30 rocket, which had a payload module with the Suborbital Microgravity Platform Qualification Model (MQ-PSM). With such qualification, the PSM will be used to carry out experiments in a microgravity environment.
With the success of the Operation, Brazil will be able to explore this type of launch for those interested in scientific research and technology development.
With Brazilian air force
