British billionaire Richard Branson’s company will operate at the Alcantara Launch Center (MA)
The AEB (Brazilian Space Agency) released the operating license for the space launch company Virgin Orbit at the Alcântara Base (MA). On a communiqué disclosed this Monday (June 27, 2022), the company also informed that it has formalized the opening of a subsidiary in Brazil.
Owned by British billionaire Richard Branson, Virgin Orbit says it has the potential to make the 1st domestic orbital launch in Brazil as early as 2023. For that, it still needs to complete the formal procedures required by the FAB (Brazilian Air Force). With the announcement, the company’s shares rose by more than 12%.
“Taking advantage of the existing facilities at the Alcântara Space Center is important to us in our commitment to sustainability”said Vision Orbit CEO Dan Hart. “We are very excited to bring orbital launch capability to Brazil”he said.
The company claims that, with Virgin Orbit’s performance, the Alcantâra Launch Center could be “one of the only continental spaceports in the world capable of reaching any orbital tilt”. In the statement, the company also pointed out that the Maranhão base is one of the most advantageous places to launch satellites into orbit.
Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Orbit, is among the billionaires in the race for space tourism. By the company Virgin Galactic, Branson integrates the market alongside entrepreneurs like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
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