The Alcântara Launch Center, in the northeastern Brazilian state of Maranhão, is one of the world’s best facilities for launching satellites. Located just two degrees south of the equator — where the Earth’s rotation is slightly faster than in higher latitudes — launches from Alcântara are easier for so-called geosynchronous satellites, which return to the same position in the sky after each sidereal day.
The margins are small, but they make a huge difference for orbital rocket companies. It is estimated that launches from Alcântara expend 30 percent less fuel than stations further from the equator. Furthermore, the state of...
