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Swedish Space Corporation joins European megaconstellation project UN:IO

December 13, 2021

Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) joins European space consortium UN:IO targeted at creating an independent European constellation of satellites for commercial and institutional communication channels. As a vital part of the infrastructure, SSC adds its significant heritage from satellite communications services as well as one of the world’s leading ground station networks. The megaconstellation is set to be fully operational by 2025, supported by the European Commission who picked UN:IO out of the 10 consortia that applied.

The European Commission will support the UN:IO consortium with 1.4 MEUR for the preparations of critical infrastructure that will ensure secure broadband connectivity for mass communication and large data quantities.

“Now begins the work for SSC and the other 13 member organizations to close the gap between Europe and US and China, countries which have already largely realized their constellations of communications satellites. The megaconstellation will ensure independent European development within Earth observation, positioning and navigation, communications and further exploration of space – ultimately securing sustainable societal development,” says Stefan Gardefjord, CEO at SSC.

“This consortium is Europe's technological declaration of independence. We have everything we need here in Europe, we just need to combine and activate it highly efficiently. UN:IO is ideally prepared for this task. Our flexibility, speed and cost-effectiveness, together with the innovative strength of Europe’s technological avantgarde, is what forms the European space industry," says Walter Ballheimer, spokesperson for UN:IO and Managing Director of Reflex Aerospace.

In the coming six months, the consortium will present its technical solutions to the EU, followed by further operational infrastructure to be fully implemented by 2025. For more technical information, see the press release published by Reflex Aerospace.