BRASILIA, Brazil (Reuters) — An explosion that destroyed a Brazilian space rocket scheduled for blast-off in a few days killed about 20 people on Friday, a Brazilian Space Agency spokeswoman said.
The figure was based on information received from the tropical Alcantara space base, where the rocket exploded during an accident at the launch site, she said.
“The rocket is destroyed,” a spokeswoman said.
The $6.5 million, 65-foot rocket, was to have placed two satellites into orbit. It was Brazil’s third attempt to launch its own rocket into space.
The Satellite Launch Vehicle was sitting in a large structure on the launch pad when the accident happened.
The launch sequence was due to have started on August 25, with the exact date and time of lift-off to be set depending on atmospheric conditions and final checks.
It was hoped to have been the first successful venture into space by a Latin American nation. Rockets launched by Brazil in 1997 and 1999 were destroyed shortly after lift-off because of technical problems.
Regards,
Primer
By: Hand87_5 - 25th August 2003 at 09:15
Very sad accident indeed.
My sympathy to the families.
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th August 2003 at 08:48
really isn’t easy, even the best have failures from time to time, sometimes a string of them 🙁
By: Primer55 - 23rd August 2003 at 22:53
Sauron and Keltic, thanks for your support. It was a hard week for us, Brazilians, once we lost a diplomat killed by terrorists in Iraq and, now, 21 of our highest-graduated engineers and technicians and a very important symbol of our technology.
Regards,
Primer
By: Primer55 - 23rd August 2003 at 22:45
some other news…
21 die in Brazil rocket disaster
Saturday, August 23, 2003 Posted: 1254 GMT ( 8:54 PM HKT)
BRASILIA, Brazil (AP) — Brazil’s president said his country’s space program remains a priority despite a rocket explosion that killed 21 people, injured 20 and put a fiery end to Brazil’s third attempt to get into space.
The 100 foot high VLS-3 rocket was three days away from its scheduled liftoff when an explosion destroyed it and the box-like launch pad that surrounded it.
Globo television showed footage of a plume of smoke rising into the sky over the seaside Alcantara Launch Center near Sao Luis, about 900 miles north of Brasilia.
“The president of the Republic profoundly regrets the deaths of the workers at the Alcantara base. The Brazilian space program is an important scientific and technological project for our country and today is a day of morning,” presidential spokesman Andre Singer said.
The blast in northeastern Brazil killed mostly civilian technicians and destroyed two research satellites, dealing a serious blow to Brazil’s nascent space program. Brazil is trying to be the first Latin American nation to put a satellite in orbit.
Friday’s accident marked the first time human lives were lost in Brazil’s quest to send a rocket into space.
In 1997, a rocket crashed into the Atlantic Ocean shortly after liftoff. In 1999, officials had to destroy a rocket after it veered off course three minutes after takeoff.
“We have recovered more bodies and now know of 21 dead. We don’t expect number of dead will increase further,” said Brazilian air force spokesman Lt. Ricardo Olanda, adding the investigation into what caused the accident was expected to take 90 days.
Most of the injured were taken to a hospital in neighboring Sao Luis de Maranhao, about 20 minutes by flight from the launching base.
The explosion occurred after one of the four main motors of the VLS-3 rocket accidentally ignited for reasons still unknown, Defense Minster Jose Veigas Filho said.
“The launching pad collapsed and the technicians were working there,” Veigas said.
There was no damage outside the launch area, officials said.
“We had just done two days of tests and everything went well — 100 percent. Everybody is devastated,” said air force Col. Romeo Brasileiro.
It is hard to assess just how serious a blow the explosion is to Brazil’s space program because many of those killed were likely top scientists involved in the space program.
The Alcantara base is considered a near-ideal launch because of its location, just 2.3 degrees south of the equator. The Earth moves faster at the equator, which helps propel rockets into space with up to 13 percent less fuel, allowing heavier payloads.
Brazil is currently negotiating with the United States and the Ukraine to allow use of the base to launch their rockets.
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Regards,
Primer
By: Sauron - 23rd August 2003 at 20:53
Indeed a sad day. Unfortunately such events appear to be part of the price of admission into space.
Sauron
By: keltic - 23rd August 2003 at 20:26
Appart from the terrible loss of life, it´s a big blow for the Brazilian Aerospace Industry, which had been striving so much in the last few years to be a reliable competitor, with sometimes a lack of resources. Anyway, my sympathy for the Brazilian people.
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August 22, 2003 at 10:07 pm