The first sounding rocket launch occurred in Sweden was carried out in August 1961, from Kronogård in the north of the country. The Institute of Meteorology at the University of Stockholm launched an Arcas rocket there to create an artificial cloud at about 80 km of altitude. The following year, five launches were carried out in collaboration with NASA and the AFCRL. These experiments, comprising NLC samplings and temperature measurements, continued until 1964.
Kiruna, Sweden (67.9° N / 21.1° E)
As of ESRO creation in June 1962, Sweden was member of this organization, but the convention was ratified by the governments in March 1964 only. ESRO decided to create a sounding rocket range in Sweden to study the Earth's atmosphere, the ionosphere and the auroral phenomena. The ESRANGE was officially inaugurated in September 1966 and the first rocket was launched there on following 20 November.
In 1972, a reorientation of ESRO activities - which was to end at the ESA creation - leads to its disengagement of ESRANGE. On this date, 152 sounding rockets had been launched there: 72 on behalf of the ESRO and 80 as part of national programs. June 30, 1972, the range moved under Swedish government authority via the Swedish Delegation for Space Activities. Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) was charged to undertake the delegation's program, and in particular to manage the ESRANGE.
Currently, ESRANGE includes seven permanent pads able to launch most types of sounding rockets,
in particular large size vehicles like Black Brant 9 or Skylark 12, and even Castor 4B used for
the MAXUS experiments. More than 400 sounding rockets were launched there.
Tables
a/ Launches from Kronogård
b/ Launches from Kiruna
Listings after Sven Grahn's data, SSC, Sweden
a/ Launches from Kronogård
Detailed list
| Year | Total | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1 | 1 Arcas |
| 1962 | 5 | 1 Arcas, 4 Nike Cajun |
| 1963 | 4 | 4 Nike Cajun |
| 1964 | 8 | 4 Nike Apache, 4 Nike Cajun |
b/ Launches from Kiruna
Detailed list
| Year | Total | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| 1966 | 3 | 3 Centaure |
| 1967 | 16 | 9 Centaure, 7 Nike Apache |
| 1968 | 23 | 3 Arcas, 3 Black Brant III, 10 Centaure, 5 Nike Apache, 2 Skylark |
| 1969 | 28 | 9 Centaure, 6 Nike Apache, 1 Nike Cajun, 8 Petrel, 4 Skylark |
| 1970 | 37 | 7 Centaure, 4 Nike Apache, 1 Petrel, 5 Skua, 8 Skylark, 12 Skua |
| 1971 | 41 | 7 Centaure, 2 Nike Apache, 12 Petrel, 15 Skua, 5 Skylark |
| 1972 | 9 | 2 Centaure, 3 Nike Apache, 1 Nike Tomahawk, 3 Skylark |
| 1973 | 7 | 4 Nike Apache, 1 Nike Cajun, 1 Nike Tomahawk, 1 Skylark |
| 1974 | 5 | 2 Centaure, 1 Nike Cajun, 2 Nike Tomahawk |
| 1975 | 4 | 1 Centaure, 3 Nike Apache |
| 1976 | 6 | 1 Aries, 2 Nike Apache, 2 Nike Tomahawk, 1 Skylark |
| 1977 | 10 | 1 Aries, 1 Black Brant VIII, 3 Nike Apache, 1 Nike Tomahawk, 2 Skylark, 2 Super Arcas |
| 1978 | 10 | 2 Nike Orion, 1 Orion, 4 Petrel, 3 Skylark |
| 1979 | 10 | 2 Aries, 2 Black Brant V, 2 Black Brant VIII, 1 Nike, 1 Nike Orion, 2 Petrel |
| 1980 | 42 | 4 Petrel, 4 Nike Orion, 3 Skua, 2 Skylark, 26 Super Loki, 3 Taurus Orion |
| 1981 | 12 | 1 Black Brant VIII, 4 Petrel, 1 Nike Orion, 1 Orion, 2 Skua, 3 Skylark, |
| 1982 | 12 | 7 Nike Orion, 2 Petrel, 2 Skylark, 1 Super Loki |
| 1983 | 5 | 1 Black Brant IX, 1 Orion, 1 Otrag, 2 Skylark |
| 1984 | 7 | 1 Black Brant V, 2 Nike Orion, 1 Orion, 3 Skylark |
| 1985 | 3 | 1 Orion, 2 Skylark |
| 1986 | 13 | 3 Nike Orion, 2 Skylark, 6 Super Loki, 2 Taurus Orion |
| 1987 | 6 | 1 Black Brant IX, 2 Orion, 3 Skylark |
| 1988 | 8 | 1 Black Brant V, 2 Black Brant VIII, 1 Black Brant IX, 1 Orion, 3 Skylark |
| 1989 | 10 | 2 Black Brant V, 1 Black Brant IX, 1 Orion, 6 Skylark |
| 1990 | 21 | 1 Black Brant IX, 4 Nike Orion, 2 Orion, 2 Robin Dart, 7 Skylark, 5 Super Loki |
| 1991 | 31 | 2 Black Brant V, 1 Castor 4B, 6 Nike Orion, 2 Orion, 2 Skylark, 3 Super Arcas, 3 Super Loki, 12 Viper III |
| 1992 | 4 | 1 Black Brant IX, 1 Castor 4B, 1 Nike I-Orion, 1 Skylark |
| 1993 | 13 | 2 Nike Orion, 1 Nike I-Orion, 1 Orion, 3 Skylark, 6 Viper |
| 1994 | 5 | 1 Nike I-Orion, 1 Orion, 1 I-Orion, 2 Skylark |
| 1995 | 6 | 1 Castor 4B, 1 Nike Orion, 2 Nike I-Orion, 2 Orion |
| 1996 | 3 | 3 Skylark |
| 1997 | 1 | 1 I-Orion |
| 1998 | 8 | 1 Castor 4B, 5 Nike I-Orion, 1 Orion, 1 Skylark |
| 1999 | 2 | 1 Black Brant V, 1 Skylark |
| 2000 | 2 | 2 Skylark |
External resources
The first rockets launched into space from Sweden
Sounding Rockets from Kronogård in the early 60's
Index of ESRANGE brochure
ESRANGE launches since 1991
DLR Mobile Rocket Base
NASA Sounding Rockets Launch Log