Tucked away beyond the Arctic Circle, two remote spaceports in Sweden and Norway are quietly shaping the future of Europe's access to space. As the continent seeks to reduce its long-standing dependence on United States technology, the Esrange Space Centre in Sweden and the Andøya Spaceport in Norway have emerged as critical launchpads for a more autonomous European presence beyond Earth.
Europe has fallen far behind in the space race. While the United States carried out over 150 launches in 2024, Europe managed just 3. Its only operational spaceport is in French Guiana (thousands of kilometres from mainland Europe) and its flagship rocket, Ariane 6, though powerful, is expensive and non-reusable. For a continent aiming to compete in a rapidly changing industry, these limitations are no longer sustainable. That's where the Nordic sites come in.
Esrange, near the Swedish mining town of Kiruna, offers a rare combination of vast uninhabited land, minimal light pollution, and excellent infrastructure. First used for sounding rockets in the 1960s, the site has now been upgraded for orbital launches, with new pads and hangars ready to host modern rockets. Its remote location, shared only with Sami reindeer herders, makes it ideal for recovery operations and sensitive military payloads.
Andøya, a coastal site in Norway, recently completed a successful test launch with German start-up ISAR Aerospace. Backed by the Norwegian government and defence firm Kongsberg, the site has permits for up to 30 launches a year and has already drawn strong interest from NATO and several European defence ministries.
Behind this push lies a mix of technological ambition and political urgency. The war in Ukraine has highlighted the risks of depending on United States systems like SpaceX's Starlink.
With Donald Trump back in the White House and allies increasingly wary of shifting United States priorities, European officials are scrambling to build alternatives they can control. "Frankly, I think probably the biggest driver was Trump getting elected once again. And as such, Trump probably did more for European defence than any European politician before him," said ISAR CEO Daniel Metzler. "It really created a huge sense of urgency."
Europe's vision goes beyond catching up. Esrange has signed launch agreements with South Korea's Perigee and United States firm Firefly, which plans to launch with just 24 hours' notice in emergencies, a service that could prove vital for replacing satellites during a conflict. Both Esrange and Andøya are also preparing for the future of space travel, with all rocket partners working on partially reusable designs. ISAR's next-generation vehicle will be tested at Esrange, joining a global shift toward more sustainable and cost-efficient launches.
Still, challenges remain. Infrastructure must be completed, systems need to be tested, and Europe's launch ecosystem has to prove itself competitive. But the momentum is real, and growing. There is much work to do across, said Lennart Poromaa, director of Esrange. "Within a year or so, we'll probably have the entire base ready."
<bild>Kiruna, Sweden - Circa April 2016 : Esrange Maxus Rocket Monument</bild>