January 9, 2023, Brazil, The Alcântara Launch Center (CLA) is a Brazilian Space Agency spaceport located in the municipality of Alcântara on the northern Atlantic coast of Brazil, in the state of Maranhão.

The launch of a rocket off the coast of Maranhão marks the beginning of the public-private partnership for the launch of small satellites between the federal government and the South Korean space company. The first launch of the rocket, manufactured by the South Korean company Innospace, is expected in the next few days.

During the launch, called Operation Astrolabe, the rocket will use propellants based on liquid oxygen and paraffin. Its patented electric pump propulsion system will carry an inertial navigation system payload developed by civilian and military experts from the Brazilian Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. The SANY SAC2500S all-terrain crane, which was launched in Brazil just over a year ago and has achieved impressive results in the large load crane rental market, and the SANY QY50 were used to transport the rocket.

With its maximum capacity of 250 tons, the SANY SAC2500S truck crane is ideal for long reach and heavy load operations. Therefore, Mr. Michael, the commercial director of Araújo Guindastes, the owner of the cranes, recommended this equipment to transport the rocket, as it is 16.5 meters long and weighs 8.4 tons.

Araujo Guindastes is one of SANY do Brasil's main customers in Maranhão. In addition to the SAC2500t, the company acquired two STC800TS last year, further expanding its fleet.

In early December, the missile components arrived in a Boeing 747 at São Luís International Airport (MA). More than 8 tons of components were transported to the city of Alcântara, located about 30 km from the capital of Maranhão. From the assembly of the base to the transport of the rocket to the launch site, 15 days passed. The SANY SAC2500S crane from Araujo Guindastes performed excellently both in moving the parts for assembling the base and in lifting the rocket to the launch base. What attracted the most attention was the low fuel consumption during the whole operation.

The contract signed this year with the Brazilian government is for five years and already provides for more launches next year on the same base. "This is a promising sector with a lot of potential in Brazil, and now especially for the state of Maranhão. We have a base that is considered strategic and has the best geographical location in the world, since it is close to the equatorial line. This allows the rockets to reach space faster and with lower fuel consumption," adds Michel Araújo, director of Araújo Guindastes.