VS-40


The VS-40 is a Brazilian sounding rocket using solid fuel and stabilized aerodynamically.
The original version, VS-40, uses the S-40TM first stage engine and the S-44M second stage engine.' This configuration corresponds to the upper stages of the VLS-1 rocket.
Version VS-40M''' used a S-40M engine for the first stage.''''

Flights

VS40 performed the following flights:
DateVersionFlightSiteMission
1993/04/02VS-40V01AlcântaraOperação Santa Maria - Qualifying flight for the S44 engine. 760 seconds in micro-gravity.
1998/03/21VS-40V02AlcântaraOperação Livramento - VAP-1 payload.
2012/06/22VS-40MV03AndøyaSHEFEX II payload.
2015/11/13VS-40MAlcântaraOperação São Lourenço - SARA Suborbital 1 – Failure

A flight of VS-40M carrying "SARA Suborbital 2" was planned but eventually cancelled. A future flight of VS-40M carrying HIFiRE 8 is in development.

Characteristics

  • Length 6725
  • Payload Mass 500
  • Diameter 1000
  • Total takeoff mass 6,737
  • Mass of propellant 5,054
  • Structural mass 1,028
  • Apogee 650
  • Microgravity time 760

    S-40 rocket engine

The S-40 is a solid-propellant rocket motor developed and manufactured by Avibras Aeroespacial, a Brazilian aerospace company, primarily for use in sounding rockets. Different versions were used on several rockets:'
  • S-40 - first stage of Sonda-4;
  • S-40TM - first stage of VS-40; third stage of VLS-1;
  • S-40M''' - first stage of VS-40M; second stage of VLM.

    S-40TM specifications

Source:
  • Total mass: 5664 kg
  • Unfueled mass: 1212kg
  • Thrust: 208.39 kN
  • SI: 275 seconds
  • Burn time: 56 s

    S-44 rocket engine

The S-44 is a solid-propellant rocket motor developed by the Instituto de Aeronáutica e Espaço, part of Brazil’s Departamento de Ciência e Tecnologia Aeroespacial. It was used as second stage of VS-40 and VS-40M; the third stage of VLM and the fourth stage of VLS-1.''''

S-44 specifications

Source:
  • Total mass: 1025 kg
  • Unfueled mass: 190 kg
  • Thrust: 33.24 kN
  • SI: 282 seconds
  • Burn time: 68 s