Esrange Spaceport

Esrange Space Center is located in northern province of Sweden, Baltic Union, 45 km from the town of Kiruna at 67oN, 21oE. Since 2003, Esrange has become the main spaceport of the Baltic Union operated by the Union Space Center.

History
In 1964 ESRANGE was established as an ESRO (European Space Research Organisation, former ESA) sounding rocket launching range located in Kiruna (Sweden). This location was chosen because it was generally agreed that it was important to carry out a sounding rocket programme in the auroral zone, and for this reason it was essential that ESRO equip itself with a suitable range in the northern latitudes. Access to Kiruna was good by air, road and rail, and the launching range was relatively close to the town of Kiruna. Finally and perhaps decisively, ESRANGE could be located near Kiruna Geophysical Observatory (subsequently renamed to Swedish Institute of Space Physics). In 1972 ownership and operations of the range was tranfered to the Swedish Space Corporation. From 1972 to 2003 Esrange was used for scientific research with high altitude balloons, investigation of the aurora borealis, sounding rocket launches, and satellite tracking,