On Friday 13 January, the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, and the Swedish Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, inaugurated the Esrange satellite launch complex, 200 km north of the Arctic Circle. The European Space Agency (ESA) is already very active in this complex. The new site, which is an extension of the existing site, required an investment of €15 million.
“This is the first orbital launch site in continental Europe”, highlighted Ms von der Leyen and Mr Kristersson. Europe already has a satellite launch centre in Kourou, French Guiana.
While the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) has launched 600 balloons and sounding rockets from Esrange since the 1960s, according to a company spokesperson, the first satellite launch could take place in the first quarter of 2024.
“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”, explained Ms von der Leyen, recalling the importance of satellite images, particularly in the fight against climate change and to ensure the security of Europeans.
“It is important to launch these satellites over and over, to have the reusability, to test them”, added the President of the European Commission.
In addition to satellite launches, the Esrange centre will host the European test initiative for reutilisable rocketry: the ESA’s Themis programme, for which Arianegroup is the prime contractor. The Themis reutilisable space launcher demonstrator will begin testing in 2023, including tests for vehicle lift-off and recovery.
“Europe has its foothold in space, and we will keep it”, promised Ms von der Leyen, as the number of operational satellites in 2040 is expected to rise to 100,000 from the current 5 000, according to the SSC.
The European Commission is expected to present an EU space strategy for security and defence in the coming months. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)