VLM (rocket)

VLM-1
*Veículo Lançador de Microssatélites*
	VLM-1 configuration
Function	Orbital launch vehicle
Manufacturer	CTA
Country of origin	Brazil
Size
Height	19.6 m (64 ft)
Diameter	1.45 m (4 ft 9 in)
Mass	28,000 kg (62,000 lb)
Stages	3
Capacity
Payload to LEO
Mass	150 kg (330 lb) to 300 km
Launch history
Status	In development
Launch sites	Alcântara Launch Center
First flight	2019 (planned)
First stage – S-50
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	~400 kN (90,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	~277 s (2.72 km/s)
Burn time	~60 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Second stage – S-50
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	~400 kN (90,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	~277 s (2.72 km/s)
Burn time	~60 seconds
Propellant	Solid
Third stage – S-44
Powered by	1 Solid
Maximum thrust	33.24 kN (7,470 lbf)
Specific impulse	282 s (2.77 km/s)
Burn time	68 seconds
Propellant	Solid
	[edit on Wikidata]

The VLM (Veículo Lançador de Microssatélites) is a proposed three-stage satellite launcher being developed by the Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology in collaboration with Germany. The project originated in 2008 as a simplified version of the VLS-1 rocket, using only the core stages.

A version based on the S-50 rocket engine is being developed, with the objective of launching satellites of up to 150 kg into equatorial circular orbits at 300 km altitude.^[2]

Development history

Development on VLM started in 2008 for the purpose of low-cost and reliable launch of microsatellites.^[1] Initially, a four-stage rocket using solid fuel was proposed, arranged in the following order:

Stage 1: S-43 rocket engine
Stage 2: S-40TM rocket engine
Stage 3: S-44 rocket engine
Stage 4: S-33 rocket engine

It was later decided in 2011 to build a precursor single-stage rocket bearing a new engine called S-50. The vehicle is being developed and its engine tested in collaboration with the German Space Agency (DLR).^[1]^[3] This precursor test is called VS-50 and is planned for launch in 2019.^[4]^[5] The VS-50 vehicle measures 12 m (39 ft) long, 1.46 m (4 ft 9 in) in diameter, and has a mass of about 15 tons.^[1]

All launches are planned to take place from the Alcântara Launch Center, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast.

VLX family

When the VLM design and tests are completed to satisfaction, it is planned to develop a larger rocket family called VLX, targeting the delivery of payloads of between 300 and 500 kg to low Earth orbit.^[1] The VLX family will include two launchers named Aquila 1 (for delivery of 300 kg to 500 km) and Aquila 2 (for delivery of 500 kg to 700 km into a polar orbit).^[1] An early concept calls for two lateral S-50 engines configured as strap-on boosters.^[1] A new liquid fuel engine, called L-75, is being designed for this launcher family. ^[1] It is hoped that the maiden flight of Aquila 1 will take place in 2023, and that of Aquila 2 in 2026.^[1]

VLM-1

The VLM-1 vehicle is designed to deliver up to 150 kg (330 lb) payloads to a 300 km equatorial circular orbit.^[1] VLM-1 is projected to have a total mass of 28,000 kg (62,000 lb), including 10 tons of propellant.^[2] The first two stages will use the S-50 solid fuel engine,^[6] with the third using the same S-44 engine as in the VS-40 sounding rocket.

Stage 1: S-50 rocket engine
Stage 2: S-50 rocket engine
Stage 3: S-44 rocket engine

Planned versions

In the future, the L5 liquid fuel rocket engine will replace the solid 3rd stage engine. The configuration will be:

Stage 1: S-50 rocket engine
Stage 2: S-50 rocket engine
Stage 3: L5 rocket engine (to be developed)

Proposed flights

The qualification flight is VLM-1 (or XVT-00).^[4]

#	Vehicle	Payload	Date	Launch site
1	VLM-1 (XVT-00)	Qualification	2019^[4]^[7]	—
2	VLM V-01	SHEFEX III	2021^[4]	—

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Novos lançadores de satélites e nova empresa espacial para Alcântara (AEB). Roberto Caiafa, Tecnologia & Defensa. 2018 (in Portuguese).
^ ^a ^b VLM-1. Brazilian Space Agency. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
^ Brazil says ground test of micro-satellite launcher developed with Germany to occur this year. Peter B. de Selding, Space Intel. 4 January 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Brazil Launch Record (1983 to present). Steven S. Pietrobon. Accessed on 24 January 2019.
^ "BRAZILIAN SPACE: Esclarecido, Realmente é o Mock Up do Motor-Foguete S-50". Brazilianspace.blogspot.pt. Retrieved 2012-07-17.
^ [1]
^ "VLM". Gunter's Space Page.

External links

Home website of VLM-1 at the Brazilian Space Agency

[Tecno_2018-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j Novos lançadores de satélites e nova empresa espacial para Alcântara (AEB). Roberto Caiafa, Tecnologia & Defensa. 2018 (in Portuguese).

[Home_AEB-2] VLM-1. Brazilian Space Agency. Accessed on 24 January 2019.

[3] Brazil says ground test of micro-satellite launcher developed with Germany to occur this year. Peter B. de Selding, Space Intel. 4 January 2018.

[Pietrobon_Brazil_2019-4] Brazil Launch Record (1983 to present). Steven S. Pietrobon. Accessed on 24 January 2019.

[5] "BRAZILIAN SPACE: Esclarecido, Realmente é o Mock Up do Motor-Foguete S-50". Brazilianspace.blogspot.pt. Retrieved 2012-07-17.

[6] [1]

[gunter-7] "VLM". Gunter's Space Page.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

v t e Orbital launch systems
List of orbital launch systems Comparison of orbital launch systems
Current	Angara 1.2 A5 Ariane 6 Atlas V Ceres 1 1S Chollima-1 Electron Falcon 9 Block 5 Falcon Heavy Firefly Alpha Gravity-1 GSLV H-IIA H3 Hyperbola-1 Jielong 1 3 KAIROS^† Kaituozhe 2 Kinetica 1 Kuaizhou 1 1A 11 Long March 2C 2D 2F 3A 3B/E 3C 4B 4C 5 5B 6 6A 7 7A 8 11 11H LVM3 Minotaur I IV V C Nuri OS-M1^† Pegasus XL Proton-M PSLV Qaem 100 Qased RS1^† Shavit 2 Simorgh SLS Block 1 Soyuz-2 2.1a / STA 2.1b / STB 2-1v SSLV Starship Tianlong-2 Unha Vega C Vulcan Centaur Zhuque 2
In development	Antares 330 Bloostar Cyclone-4M Deca Epsilon S Eris Gravity-2 Hyperbola-2 Irtysh Kuaizhou 21 31 Long March 9 10 12 Miura 5 MLV Neutron New Glenn New Line 1 NGLV Nova OS-M 2 4 Orbex Prime Pallas-1 Red Dwarf SLS Block 1B Block 2 Soyuz-7 Terran R Tianlong-3 VLM Vega E Zero Zhuque 3 Zuljanah
Retired	Antares 110 120 130^† 230 230+ Ariane 1 2 3 4 5 ASLV Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III LV-3B SLV-3 Able^† Agena Centaur Black Arrow Conestoga^† Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 II III IV IV Heavy Diamant Dnepr Energia Epsilon Europa I^† II^† Falcon 1 Falcon 9 v1.0 v1.1 v1.2 "Full Thrust" Feng Bao 1 GSLV Mk I H-I H-II H-IIB Juno I Juno II Kaituozhe-1 Kosmos original 1 2/2I 3 3M Lambda 4S LauncherOne Long March 1 1D^† 2A 2E 3 3B 4A Mu 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII V N1^† N-I N-II Naro-1 Paektusan^† Pilot-2^† R-7 Luna Molniya M L Polyot Soyuz original FG L M U U2 Soyuz/Vostok Sputnik Voskhod Vostok L K 2 2M R-29 Shtil' Volna^† Rocket 3 Safir 1 1A 1B Saturn I IB V Scout X-1 Blue Scout II^† X-2^† X-2M X-3 X-3M X-4 X-2B^† B A B-1 D-1 A-1 E-1 F-1 G-1 Shavit original 1 SLV Space Shuttle SPARK^† Sparta SS-520 Start-1 Terran 1^† Thor Able Ablestar 1 2 Agena A B D Burner 1 2 Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena SLV-2G SLV-2H Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Tsyklon R-36-O original 2 3 Universal Rocket UR-500 Proton Proton-K Rokot Strela Vanguard Vega original VLS-1^† Zenit 2 2M 2FG 3SL 3SLB 3F Zhuque 1^†
Classes	Sounding rocket Small-lift launch vehicle Medium-lift launch vehicle Heavy-lift launch vehicle Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
This Template lists historical, current, and future space rockets that at least once attempted (but not necessarily succeeded in) an orbital launch or that are planned to attempt such a launch in the future Symbol ^† indicates past or current rockets that attempted orbital launches but never succeeded (never did or has yet to perform a successful orbital launch)