South Korean Rocket To Blast Off From Sweden's New Spaceport

Esrange, Sweden's historic space center, has secured its first commercial launch customer! South Korea's Perigee Aerospace signed a deal with the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) to launch their "Blue Whale 1" rocket from Esrange beginning in 2025.

Esrange has a long history in space exploration, focusing on suborbital research missions since its establishment in 1964. However, 2023 marked a turning point with the inauguration of their first orbital launch pad. This new infrastructure is now poised to become operational with the Blue Whale 1 launch.

The Blue Whale 1 is categorized as a microlauncher, designed to carry payloads of up to 200 kilograms into a sun-synchronous orbit. This type of orbit allows satellites to consistently pass over the equator at the same time each day, making it ideal for Earth observation missions.

This partnership is a win-win for both parties. Esrange gains a marquee tenant for their new launchpad, solidifying their position as a European launch provider. Perigee benefits from Esrange's established launch expertise and ground station network, offering a European launch option for their customers.

"We are very pleased to announce this historic collaboration," said Charlotta Sund, CEO of SSC. "The market demand for this service is huge, and Perigee's Blue Whale 1 rocket is an ideal match for our orbital launch complex."

The first launch is slated for no earlier than 2025, following a successful inaugural flight of the Blue Whale 1 from South Korea. This launch will mark a significant milestone for both Esrange and European space ambitions, ushering in a new era of orbital launches from Swedish soil.