Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Jun 05, 2025

Europe's First Satellite Launch Complex Opens in Arctic Sweden

Europe's First Satellite Launch Complex Opens in Arctic Sweden

Europe's first orbital launch complex for satellites officially opened in Kiruna, Northern Sweden today – with the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen present. For Europe, the new launch complex will be a long-awaited resource.

Mainland Europe's first satellite launch complex officially opened today at Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Northern Sweden.

The opening takes place in conjunction with Sweden taking over the presidency of the Council of the EU. The King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, the EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, and Sweden's Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson (the Moderate Party) were present.

Kiruna is perhaps best known for its mining industry. However, the space industry also plays an important role. Sweden's only space base is located just outside the center of Kiruna and is one of two European space bases.

"This is a great moment for Europe and the European space industry. This space range is just the infrastructure we need," said EU Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen, during the opening ceremony. She highlighted the importance of satellites when it comes to security, the green shift, climate change, and natural disasters, i.a.

"If we want to effectively track the effects of climate change, space offers 60 percent of the measurements we need. The space perspective provides us with the majority of the data we need to understand what is going on," she adds. 


An important resource for Europe

The new space range Spaceport Esrange describes itself as Europe's polar gateway to space. The facility has been under preparation for many years but has now received increased capabilities.

Today, only ten countries in the world have the capacity of launching orbital satellites. The Esrange facility in Kiruna is the first space base opened in mainland Europe seeing as the other European space base is located in French Guiana.

For Europe, the new orbital launch complex at Esrange will be a long-awaited critical resource. Spaceport Esrange will offer an independent European gateway to space, which supplies and strengthens the current European's capacities in French Guiana in South America, writes the state-owned company, Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), which owns and operates Esrange, in a press release.

"This new launch complex will contribute to creating a foundation for a resilient Europe in space," says Stefan Gardefjord, CEO of SSC.

According to the company, SSC SmallSat Express will be the new European launch complex for small satellites and offer a state-of-the-art service at Esrange Space Center, with complete launch capacity for standardized polar orbits from 2023.

SSC emphasizes that more satellites will be necessary in the future. Around 10 000 new satellites are expected launched in the coming years and by 2040, the total number of satellites may reach 100 000 – compared to the 5000 operative satellites in orbit today.

Andøya Space in Norway may also be the first in Europe.


In competition with Norway

Although Spaceport Esrange is now open, a race to become the first country to launch satellites in Europe is currently taking place.

Andøya Space in Northern Norway is also building a space port for the launch of small satellites.

"The Swedes are definitely part of the race and may be the first, but we also have Andøya Space in Norway," says NRK journalist Hhallvard Sandberg.

Sanberg highlights that Esrange in Kiruna is the first space range to officially open. That has not happened at Andøya. There they will take over the launch platform in the spring and they are hoping to be ready to operate within the year and that the first satellite rocket will be launched from Andøya during the year.

The first satellite launch from Spaceport Esrange in Sweden is expected to take place late in 2023.


Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
Majority of French Voters View Macron's Presidency as a Failure
Hungary Partners with China to Boost Electric Vehicle Production
‘Vibe Coding’ Emerges as the New DIY Trend
AI Pioneer Yoshua Bengio Warns Models Can Deceive Users
Big Four Firms Rush to Create AI Auditing Systems
Musk’s xAI Pursues $113 Billion Valuation in New Share Sale
Walmart Increases Revenue Despite Shrinking Workforce
Hims & Hers Plans UK and EU Launch of Replica Obesity Drugs
Toyota to Acquire Supplier in $33 Billion Buyout
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
China Accuses US of Violating Trade Truce
Panama Port Owner Balances US-China Pressures
France Implements Nationwide Outdoor Smoking Ban to Protect Children
German Chancellor Merz Keeps Putin Guessing on Missile Strategy
Mandelson Criticizes UK's 'Fetish' for Abandoning EU Regulations
British Fishing Boat Owner Fined €30,000 by French Authorities
Dutch government falls as far-right leader Wilders quits coalition
Harvard Urges US to Unfreeze Funds for Public Health Research
Businessman Mauled by Lion at Luxury Namibian Lodge
Researchers Consider New Destinations Beyond the U.S.
53-Year-Old Doctor Claims Biological Age of 23
Trump Struggles to Secure Trade Deals With China and Europe
Russia to Return 6,000 Corpses Under Ukraine Prisoner Swap Deal
Microsoft Lays Off Hundreds More Amid Restructuring
Harvey Weinstein’s Publicist Embraces Notoriety
Macron and Meloni Seek Unity Despite Tensions
Trump Administration Accused of Obstructing Deportation Cases
Newark Mayor Sues Over Arrest at Immigration Facility
Center-Left Candidate Projected to Win South Korean Presidency
Trump’s Tariffs Predicted to Stall Global Economic Growth
South Korea’s President-Elect Expected to Take Softer Line on Trump and North Korea
Trump’s China Strategy Remains a Geopolitical Puzzle
Ukraine Executes Long-Range Drone Strikes on Russian Airbases
Conservative Karol Nawrocki wins Poland’s presidential election
Study Identifies Potential Radicalization Risk Among Over One Million Muslims in Germany
Good news: Annalena Baerbock Elected President of the UN General Assembly
Apple Appeals EU Law Over User Data Sharing Requirements
South Africa: "First Black Bank" Collapses after Being Looted by Owners
Poland will now withdraw from the EU migration pact after pro-Trump nationalist wins Election
"That's Disgusting, Don’t Say It Again": The Trump Joke That Made the President Boil
Trump Cancels NASA Nominee Over Democratic Donations
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OnlyFans for Sale: From Lockdown Lifeline to Eight-Billion-Dollar Empire
Mayor’s Security Officer Implicated | Shocking New Details Emerge in NYC Kidnapping Case
Hegseth Warns of Potential Chinese Military Action Against Taiwan
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Jamie Dimon Warns U.S. Bond Market Faces Pressure from Rising Debt
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
×