All of us are using space technology in our everyday lives, for example to navigate, look up weather reports and communicate with our cell phones. The need for advanced space features increases every day, as smart cities and self-driving cars becomes more common, but as well to combat climate change and to mitigate its consequences.
– Very little of our modern lives on Earth can be done without space technology, explains Stefan Gardefjord, CEO of SSC.
Launching satellites from Kiruna
In Kiruna, Northern Sweden, SSC’s newest facility, Spaceport Esrange, is now in the final stages of becoming the first place within the mainland EU capable of launching satellites. Esrange, a leading European space center since the 60ies, recently inaugurated a new testbed for modern launch technology for small and large rockets, components for space applications, more environmentally friendly engines, test flights, satellite technology and reusable rockets. Adding capability to launch satellites is an important step, providing a full range of space services. The expected maiden flight will take place within a year.
– This will make Esrange, already the world’s most versatile space center, a global hub for an innovative space-centric ecosystem in close symbiosis with academia, institutions, and industry in Northern Sweden, says Stefan Gardefjord.
Serves several purposes
Space technology developments play an important role for society. SSC have been involved for the past 50 years, providing important services and technological development.
For the years to come, advanced, sustainable and resilient space infrastructure and services are crucial for the development of a sustainable and safe mankind on our planet. The development includes not only space exploration further into the universe and well known services for communication and navigation for people to use, but also to detect and analyse consequences of climate change and environmental problems such as toxic discharges in the atmosphere, and on the landmasses, ocieans, rivers, streams and cities on our planet with the help from satellite sensors producing vast amount of data, to name just a few examples. From Space, we can make Earth observations in a way that is never possible from the ground.
– For Europe to take a leading position in the space industry, we need a market for venture capital with risk-taking to speed up the pace of innovation, says Stefan Gardefjord while visiting Demo North Summit 2022.
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