Orbital Space Race Heats Up in Arctic North
The Rise of the Orbital Space Race
It’s 04:00 on a snow-covered hill in Swedish Lapland, 120 miles (200 km) north of the Arctic Circle. A countdown resonates: Three, two, one. A rocket launches from the Esrange Space Centre, lighting up the darkened valley below. Moments later, a second rocket motor ignites with a thunderous roar. At this facility, operated by the Swedish Space Corporation (SSC), over 600 rockets have been launched since the 1960s, primarily sub-orbital rockets for scientific research and space flight testing.
The rocket I witnessed was built by scientists from the German Aerospace Centre Mapheus and successfully reached an altitude of almost 260 km during its 14-minute journey. It was a good flight; we’re really relieved, exclaimed campaign manager Thomas Voigtmann. This rocket carried experiments crucial for studying biological cells, materials, and various processes in microgravity.
Esrange: A New Player in Orbital Launches
Esrange is rapidly positioning itself as a serious contender in Europe’s emerging orbital launch market. Within a couple of years, we will have the first satellite launch from here, states SSC’s business development director, Mattias Abrahamsson. The facility inaugurated a new launchpad in early 2023, despite some delays. Two clients are gearing up to send satellites into orbit from northern Sweden: South Korea’s Perigee and American firm Firefly Aerospace, the latter having achieved a lunar landing last year.
The infrastructure being built is specifically for Firefly’s Alpha rocket, explains Katarina Lahti from SSC’s orbital launch and rocket test division, highlighting upgrades in fueling, security, and safety systems. Additionally, a recent technology safeguard agreement between the US and Sweden enables American companies to transport advanced space technology to Scandinavia.
Growing Demand for Satellites
As the appetite for internet connectivity, communications, and mapping escalates, the number of satellites orbiting Earth is projected to soar to half a million by the end of the 2030s, according to a report from Nature. There are about 10,000 satellites in orbit right now; our goal is to increase that to around 40,000 to 50,000 in just a few years, Abrahamsson explains, glancing at several large antennae.
This surge is luring commercial companies into a sector historically dominated by government entities, prompting several spaceport initiatives across Europe—from the Azores in Portugal to Norway’s northern expanse. There’s a large market, and there’s room for all of us, Lahti adds confidently, noting SSC’s 60-year legacy in rocketry and its strategic northern location for launching satellites into polar orbit under favorable weather conditions.
Competition Among European Spaceports
The Atlantic Spaceport Consortium (ASC) operates from Santa Maria in Portugal, while start-up EuroSpaceport aims to launch from a vessel anchored 50 km off the Danish coast. In Scotland’s Shetland Islands, SaxaVord serves as the UK’s first licensed vertical spaceport, collaborating with companies like Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) and HyImpulse.
However, not all ventures have fared well; Richard Branson’s Virgin Orbit ceased operations after a failed 2023 mission, and Scottish manufacturer Orbex announced its appointment of administrators. Hermann Ludwig Moeller, director of the European Space Policy Institute, likens spaceports to seaports, emphasizing that multiple locations will be needed to accommodate future traffic. There will be winners and losers; it’s less about rocket technology and more about the market dynamics, he asserts.
Norway’s Andøya Spaceport: A Frontrunner
Norway’s Andøya Spaceport, located 300 kilometers above the Arctic Circle, currently leads the European charge. Isar Aerospace launched its 28-meter Spectrum rocket from there last year but experienced only 30 seconds of flight before crashing spectacularly. They aim for another attempt this March, which could mark a pivotal moment for Europe’s commercial space goals. With this mission, we aim to demonstrate significant progress, says CEO Daniel Metzler, expressing their commitment to pushing systems to their limits.
As geopolitical factors reshape Europe’s approach to space, the SSC’s Abrahamsson emphasizes the strategic necessity of orbital launch capabilities within Europe. We need the capacity to operate independently; it facilitates rapid deployment of critical systems during crises, he states.
The Road Ahead for Europe’s Space Ambitions
The European Space Agency (ESA) operates its facilities at Kourou in French Guiana, capable of handling around a dozen orbital launches annually. However, it relies heavily on US launch sites, which leads to logistical challenges. Europe’s most powerful rocket, Ariane 6, recently launched from Kourou carrying satellites destined for Amazon’s Leo constellation, a rival to Elon Musk’s Starlink.
There’s a lot happening in space surrounding internet connectivity, notes Moeller. The competition between Amazon Leo, Starlink, and potential European developments will intensify. Looking back, while Europe accounted for only seven of the 319 successful orbital launches in 2025, compared to 189 from the US and 90 from China, investment in the European space sector is accelerating, though it still pales in comparison to US levels.
At Esrange, Mattias Abrahamsson remains optimistic about the burgeoning competition among new European spaceports. Every site is essential because so many satellites need launching, and numerous rockets are in development.
Conclusion
The orbital space race in the Arctic north is gaining momentum. As nations and companies rally around ambitious satellite launches, the future of space exploration holds immense potential. With Esrange and its counterparts striving to seize opportunities, Europe is on the brink of a new era in the quest for orbital capabilities. Whether these efforts will culminate in a thriving market remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: the race is on, and the Arctic north is lighting the way.