– We are incredibly pleased to announce these historic collaborations. With Firefly and Perigee, we will be able to offer a significant increase in this globally sought-after capability here in Europe. This will not only strengthen SSC's position in the global space market but also has enormous significance for our modern society, which is entirely dependent on satellites to function, says Charlotta Sund, CEO and President of SSC in the press release.
The agreement that SSC has signed is with American Firefly Aerospace and Korean Perigee Aerospace to offer satellite launches from Esrange. The collaboration means an increased capability for Europe to launch satellites. The first launch is planned for 2025.
The ability to launch satellites has long been lacking on the European mainland, and with this new capacity, Esrange is expected to become a central player in the European space industry, SSC writes.
– Swedish space diplomacy will be based on our ability to launch satellites into orbit from our own territory, which we are alone in doing in continental EU, writes Foreign Minister Tobias Billström (M) on X (formerly Twitter), and continues;
– We are facing a fantastic breakthrough as Sweden now seriously takes the step to establish our country as a space nation.
Firefly's rocket, Alpha, has been used in several previous launches in the USA and can launch a payload of 1,030 kg to a lower orbit of about 300 km. Perigee's rocket, Blue Whale 1, is 21 meters long and has the capacity to launch a payload of 200 kg to a 500 km sun-synchronous orbit.
– We have been in contact with rocket companies worldwide in search of partners that fit our intended business model for commercial, institutional, and defence-oriented collaborations. Now the final piece of the puzzle is finally in place, says Lennart Poromaa, site manager at SSC's Esrange space base in Kiruna, in the press release.