Esrange

Esrange Space Center is a rocket range and research centre located about 40 kilometers east of the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden.

It is a base for scientific research with high-altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking, among other things.

[2] This location was chosen because it was generally agreed that it was important to carry out a sounding rocket programme in the auroral zone, and for this reason it was essential that ESRO equip itself with a suitable range in the northern latitudes.

Finally and perhaps decisively, Esrange could be located near Kiruna Geophysical Observatory (subsequently renamed to Swedish Institute of Space Physics).

Three main programmes, Texus, Maser, and Maxus currently dominate the rocket activities at Esrange and support microgravity research for ESA and DLR: SSC, jointly with DLR, introduced a new launch service with the Suborbital Express programme launched in 2019.

Esrange Space Center satellite station focuses on data acquisition and processing for remote sensing and scientific missions as well as TT&C support.

Ideas to use Esrange Space Center for orbital launches has existed since the inauguration of the base in 1966, then in the vision of ESRO.

[5] The orbital launch site, LC-3, was inaugurated on 13 January 2023 as the ribbon was cut by the Swedish king Carl XVI Gustaf, prime minister Ulf Kristersson together with head commissioner President Ursula Von der Leyen.

Increased industrial, military and aeronautic activity in the region has been viewed critically by Sami people.

The final Skylark rocket launch at Esrange on 2 May 2005.
The BLAST payload and high-altitude balloon shortly before launch.
A vast uninhabited area north of the range is used as an area where the sounding rockets can land. Spread throughout this area are small shelters, like the one shown in this picture. When a launch campaign is planned, people are asked to visit such shelters and listen to the radio. This shelter is at Vassejávri, around 10 km west of Järämä (Sweden) .
Interior of such a shelter