Tag: Sweden
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ArianeGroup Completes Wet Dress Rehearsal for Themis Reusable Booster
ArianeGroup has completed a wet dress rehearsal of its Themis reusable booster demonstrator at the Esrange Space Centre in Sweden, marking a key milestone in the vehicle’s ongoing test campaign. The rehearsal was carried out on July 23 by teams from ArianeGroup and SSC Space, the operator of Esrange Space Centre, with the company announcing…
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ArianeGroup Restarts Themis Test Campaign With Cryogenic Rehearsal in Sweden
The test was carried out by teams from ArianeGroup and SSC Space, the commercial entity that manages the Esrange Space Centre. ArianeGroup announced the milestone on 30 July, a full week after it took place. It marks the most significant publicly announced step in the Themis campaign since September 2025, when the T1H demonstrator was…
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Sweden Deploys First Military Reconnaissance Satellite
Sweden has successfully deployed its first dedicated military reconnaissance satellite, achieving orbital insertion on May 3, 2026, marking the Nordic nation’s entry into sovereign space-based intelligence capabilities. The satellite, launched aboard a European launch vehicle into a sun-synchronous polar orbit at approximately 600 km altitude, represents a €200 million investment in Sweden’s national defense infrastructure.…
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Isar Aerospace Expands Engine Test Facilities Ahead of Second Spectrum Launch
German launch company Isar Aerospace said it will expand its testing infrastructure at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center as it prepares for the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, currently expected no earlier than March 19. Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is developing the 28-meter-tall Spectrum launcher, designed to deliver up to 1,000 kilograms to low…
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Sweden Commits €121 Million to Build Sovereign ISR Satellite Capability
The Swedish government has committed SEK 1.3 billion (about €121 million) to procure ten Earth observation satellites as part of efforts to establish a sovereign intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capability, the defence ministry said. The satellite investment forms part of a broader SEK 5.3 billion defence spending package announced on Jan. 12, aimed at…
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ESA Delays First Themis Hop Test Until Spring as Sweden Site Remains Snowbound
The European Space Agency (ESA) said it is waiting for spring conditions to conduct the first hop test of its Themis reusable rocket booster demonstrator, after winter weather delayed preparations at the launch site in northern Sweden. The Themis vehicle has been stationed at the Esrange Space Centre near Kiruna since mid-2025, but heavy snow…
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ICEYE and Swedish Space Corporation Sign LOI to Strengthen Nordic and NATO Space-Based ISR Capabilities
ICEYE, a global operator of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) satellites, and Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) have signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to explore closer cooperation on space-based capabilities for Nordic nations and NATO, the companies said. The LOI was signed at the NATO Arctic Space Forum in Helsinki and reflects deeper strategic alignment between…
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Eutelsat, Skynopy to Test Use of OneWeb Ground Stations for Earth Observation Data
European satellite operator Eutelsat said it will work with French startup Skynopy to explore selling unused capacity from its OneWeb ground stations to Earth observation operators. The initiative will start with tests on Ka-band antennas across OneWeb’s 42 gateway sites worldwide. “Any LEO ground station network has, by nature, idle time on its ground stations,”…
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Maxar Intelligence Partners with Saab to Develop GPS-Independent Drone Navigation for Defense
Maxar Intelligence has signed an agreement with Swedish aerospace and defense company Saab to develop battlefield intelligence products leveraging satellite data, including Maxar’s new terrain-based navigation system that enables drones to operate without relying on GPS signals. The collaboration grants Saab access to Maxar’s geospatial intelligence products, which encompass high-resolution satellite imagery, 3D terrain data,…
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Ovzon Readies Satellite for Commercial Service After Successful Tests
Swedish broadband operator Ovzon announced on Tuesday that its first fully owned satellite is set to begin commercial services following successful tests in geostationary orbit. Company CEO Per Norén revealed that the inaugural client for Ovzon 3 will be France’s elite police tactical unit, GIGN (Groupe d’Intervention de la Gendarmerie Nationale), ahead of the Summer…