The Brazilian Space Agency (AEB) plans to design and develop a rocket to launch small satellites into orbit by 2014.

The rocket is being developed under AEB’s main satellite launch vehicle project VLS.

The project was mothballed in 2003 following an explosion that damaged the rocket on the launch pad at Alcântara Launch Centre in northern Brazil causing 21 deaths.

The repaired VLS-1 rocket will be test-fired in 2012 and the first launch of a fully loaded rocket is scheduled for 2013.