In collaboration with SSC, Firefly set to turn out to be first U.S. firm to launch satellites from continental Europe
Swedish Area Company (SSC) and U.S. area transportation firm Firefly Aerospace have signed a collaborative settlement to collectively launch satellites with Firefly’s Alpha rocket from the newly inaugurated spaceport at Esrange Area Middle in Sweden, beginning in 2026. Collectively, Firefly and SSC are establishing an orbital launch service in Europe with a flight-proven launch automobile, supporting industrial, civil, and protection clients.
“We’re happy to announce this historic collaboration that can have a big impact on the worldwide launch market, not least in Europe and the U.S.,” mentioned Charlotta Sund, CEO at SSC. “Decreasing the present hole of orbital launch websites in Europe, this collaboration strengthens the transatlantic hyperlink between Sweden and the U.S. while providing distinctive area capabilities for the Swedish NATO membership. We’re trying ahead to releasing this aggressive and well-proven launch service at Esrange in northern Europe.”
Owned and operated by SSC, Esrange has been operational since 1966, primarily supporting sounding rocket launches for microgravity and atmospheric analysis. Newly expanded infrastructure at Esrange now helps satellite tv for pc launches, making it a major contribution to filling the calls for for orbital launch capabilities in Europe.
As a part of the settlement with SSC, Firefly’s Alpha rocket will launch from Esrange Launch Advanced 3C the place pad modifications are already underway. With the inaugural Alpha launch scheduled for 2026, the brand new advanced will assist industrial clients within the broader European market and allow tactically responsive area missions to additional advance nationwide safety for NATO international locations.
“The way forward for spaceflight requires extra orbital launch websites throughout the globe as we proceed to see rising demand amongst home and worldwide launch clients,” mentioned Invoice Weber, CEO at Firefly Aerospace. “Firefly is extremely humbled to accomplice with SSC and turn out to be the primary U.S. firm to launch from continental Europe. Collectively, we’re unlocking a long-awaited functionality for the European satellite tv for pc market, and we invite these ready to fly with us on our flight-proven Alpha automobile.”
The brand new launch service at Esrange will construct on the success of Firefly’s orbital Alpha missions from the Vandenberg Area Drive Base in California and complement Firefly’s new launch functionality on the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport on Wallops Island, Virginia. Able to carrying 1,030 kg to low-Earth orbit, Alpha lately launched a responsive area mission for the U.S. Area Drive following a 24-hour discover and continues to function a responsive launch automobile for presidency and industrial clients.
About Swedish Area Company
Swedish Area Company (SSC) helps Earth profit from Area. For the reason that 70’s, SSC has helped area organizations, corporations, different industrial actors and analysis institutes to get entry to area. By means of our native presence on all continents and near 700 dedicated workers, we provide specialist experience in satellite tv for pc floor station connectivity, spacecraft operations, rocket and balloon methods, launch providers, flight take a look at providers and knowledge analytics. Amongst our strongest belongings are Esrange Area Middle in northern Sweden, set to turn out to be first to launch satellites from continental Europe in 2025, in addition to our world floor station community for satellite tv for pc communications: SSC Join. www.sscspace.com
About Firefly Aerospace
Firefly Aerospace is an end-to-end area transportation firm with launch, lunar, and on-orbit providers. Headquartered in central Texas, Firefly is a portfolio firm of AE Industrial Companions (“AEI”) centered on delivering responsive, dependable, and reasonably priced area entry for presidency and industrial clients. Firefly’s small- to medium-lift launch autos, lunar landers, and orbital autos present the area trade with a single supply for missions from low Earth orbit to the floor of the Moon and past. www.fireflyspace.com.
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