BRASILIA, 24 August 2003 — 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 mourning,” 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 the 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.
