Spaceport Esrange, EU’s first mainland orbital launch site inaugurated in Sweden

Sentinel-2 MSI acquired on 07 September 2017 at 10:30:21 UTC
Sentinel-2 MSI acquired on 24 October 2022 at 10:41:21 UTC
Author(s): Sentinel Vision team, VisioTerra, France - svp@visioterra.fr
Keyword(s): Land, polar, launchpad, Sweden
Fig. 1 - S2 (24.10.2022) - Esrange is located in the very north of Sweden, above the Arctic Circle and has access to a vast, unpopulated impact and recovery area.
3D view
"On Friday 13th 2023, SSC inaugurated mainland EU’s first orbital launch site: Spaceport Esrange. Before the eyes of the whole world, the ribbon was cut by the Swedish Head of State, King Carl XVI Gustaf, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson. Now begins a new era for Esrange Space Center and Europe with an expected first satellite launch in early 2024.", wrote the SSC (Swedish Space Corporation)

Ceremony of inauguration of Spaceport Esrange - Source: sweden2023.eu
Fig. 2 - S2 (07.09.2017 / 24.10.2022) - The inaugurated spaceport lies on the left, the recently built testbed and vertical test stand are on the right.
3D view 3D view
"From 2023, SSC SmallSat Express will be the new European launch capability for small satellites, providing a state-of-the art service at Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden, with full launch capabilities for standardized polar orbits."

Spaceport Esrange - Source: SSC (Swedish Space Corporation) top bottom
The views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official opinion of the European Space Agency or the European Union.
Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2025, processed by VisioTerra.
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