science

VLM (rocket)

VLM (rocket) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand VLM (rocket) rather than just read about it. In short: The VLM (Veículo Lançador de Microsatélites) 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.

Key takeaways

VLM (rocket) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect VLM (rocket) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of VLM (rocket) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

The VLM (Veículo Lançador de Microsatélites) 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. The first launch is currently planned for no earlier than October 2028. A version based on the S-50 rocket motor is being developed, with the objective of launching satellites of up to 150 kg into equatorial circular orbits at 300 km altitude.

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

Stage 1: S-50 rocket motor Stage 2: S-50 rocket motor Stage 3: S-44 rocket motor Launches will be from the Alcântara Launch Center, located at the equator. There are plans to expand this design into the VLX launcher family, by adding liquid fuel upper stages or strap-on boosters.

Development history Development on VLM started in 2008 for the purpose of low-cost and reliable launch of microsatellites, based on existing Brazilian sounding rockets like the VS-40 and technology developed for the VLS-1 project. Initially, a four-stage rocket using solid fuel was proposed, arranged in the following order:

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

VS-50

In 2011 it was decided to build a precursor single-stage rocket bearing a new motor called S-50. The vehicle is being developed and its motor tested in collaboration with the German Space Agency (DLR). This precursor test is called VS-50. 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. All launches are planned to take place from the Alcântara Launch Center, located on Brazil's northern Atlantic coast. On 1 October 2021, the Brazilian Space Agency successfully conducted the first full static fire test of the S-50 motor, lasting 84 seconds.

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. 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). An early concept calls for two lateral S-50 motor configured as strap-on boosters. A new liquid fuel engine, called L-75, is being designed for this launcher family. As of 2018, it was hoped that the maiden flight of Aquila 1 would take place in 2023, and that of Aquila 2 in 2026.

Planned versions In the future, the L25 liquid fuel rocket engine will replace the solid 3rd stage engine. The configuration will be:

Stage 1: S-50 rocket motor Stage 2: S-50 rocket motor Stage 3: L25 rocket engine (to be developed)

Other possibilities Brazilian researchers have studied the possibility of a cost-competitive launch system using S-50 motors in the first two stages and a set of liquid engines in the third stage. This system operating from the Alcântara Launch Center could insert satellites weighing up to 500 kg into polar orbits with a transport cost of approximately US$39,000 per kilogram of payload.

Proposed flights The qualification flight is VLM-1 (or XVT-00).

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with VLM (rocket)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what VLM (rocket) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to VLM (rocket) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about VLM (rocket) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of VLM (rocket)

In research: VLM (rocket) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses VLM (rocket) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: VLM (rocket) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Expendable space launch systems, Proposed space launch vehicles, Rockets and missiles, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for VLM (rocket) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study VLM (rocket) in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what VLM (rocket) means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain VLM (rocket) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is VLM (rocket) in simple terms?

Why does VLM (rocket) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study VLM (rocket)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on VLM (rocket).