Photo: The first Brazilian rocket with ethanol as propellant was launched at the Alcântara Base/Uncredited (IAE)

The first Brazilian rocket with liquid propellant was launched on Monday night at the Alcântara Launch Center, in the Brazilian state of Maranhão. According to the Institute of Aeronautics and Space (“IAE”), connected with the Department of Science and Aerospace Technology, which spearheads the undertaking, all technical requirements have been fulfilled and the operation was a success.

The launch took place at 11:02 pm, and lasted three minutes and 34 seconds. During the test, data were collected for studies on a space-run GPS system developed by the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, and on a security device for space vehicles, built by the IAE.

The experiment worked throughout the forecasted 90-second period. The cargo aboard the rocket, named Liquid-Propellant Propulsion Stage, consists of an engine that uses ethanol and liquid oxygen. The system was developed by Orbital Engineering in partnership with IAE. The operation also served to make the technical teams involved more prepared for future launches of engines with liquid propellant.

The good performance of the engine will enable the German Space Agency to resume the launching of Brazilian rockets. German experts took part in the operation collecting flight data by means of a movable telemetric station.