Spaceport Esrange ready for
satellite launches
“This spaceport offers an
independent European gateway to space. It is exactly
the infrastructure we need, not only to continue to
innovate but also to further explore the final
frontier.” -Ursula von der Leyen, President of the
European Commission
After years of preparation and
construction, mainland EU’s first orbital launch
complex, Spaceport Esrange, was officially
inaugurated today 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. Thereby, the
European Union introduced a new and long-awaited
critical asset to its shared space infrastructure,
offering an independent European gateway to Space
from northernmost Sweden.
“Security, competitiveness,
sustainability and our democratic values are key to
a stronger Europe and a better world. Space enables
all of them. With Spaceport Esrange, EU gets a
strategic asset which provides independent access to
Space. This will be instrumental for reaching the EU
and UN sustainability goals as well as strategies
within security and defense,“ said Anna Kinberg
Batra, Chair of the Board of Swedish Space
Corporation, SSC.
“The important work you have
been doing here for many years is a shining example
of the enormous potential of space-based research to
indeed improve our daily life.”,
said Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European
Commission.
“This is unique. It is the
first facility of its kind in mainland Europe, and I
know it has been made possible by teamwork with
trusted international partners”, said Ulf
Kristersson, Prime Minister of Sweden.
“Kiruna is already one of
Europe’s strategic gateways to Space. And the new
launch complex at Esrange is a critical asset that
will strengthen Europe’s capability to launch
satellites and improve our space competitiveness. I
am certain that this spaceport will strengthen
Sweden’s active role in space, involved in many of
ESA’s flagship projects and through our ground
station here in Kiruna,“ said Josef Aschbacher,
Director General of the European Space Agency, ESA.
First to begin operations at
Spaceport Esrange will be Europe’s initiative for
reusable rocketry – the Themis program –
commissioned by the European Space Agency ESA and
lead by ArianeGroup. Themis will begin tests of its
reusable space launcher demonstrator at the complex
in 2023. Meanwhile, SSC are in advanced discussions
with several potential rocket partners for future
orbital launches from Spaceport Esrange. A first
satellite launch is expected by the turn of the year
2023/24.
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