Rocket and Balloon Activities

Quick updates on current and past rocket and balloon missions at Esrange Space Center.

Rocket and balloon missions

Launch missions from Esrange Space Center are listed here

Mission	type	launch period	launched
BEXUS 39	Stratospheric balloon	9 October - 18 October 2026	-
MAPHEUS 17	Sounding rocket	21 September - 6 October 2026	-
KEYSTONE	Stratospheric balloon	21 August - 3 September 2026	-
ABBA 2	Stratospheric balloon	3 August - 16 August 2026	-
Suborbital express 5	Sounding rocket	19 May - 7 June 2026	-

60
Years of experience

610+
Rockets launched

690+
Balloons launched

More about some of our launches

SubOrbital Express-5 to launch 12 experiments to space

23:04 April 21, 2026

On 28 May, the launch window opens for one of the most anticipated sounding rocket launches of SSC Space. After years of planning and preparation, SubOrbital Express-5 will take off from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden, providing access to...

Rocket launched with a colorful sky as backdrop

Two REXUS rockets launched from Esrange

13:03 March 12, 2026

Over the course of two days, sounding rockets REXUS-35 and -36 were successfully launched from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden: The first one on Tuesday 10th of March at 07:02, and the second on Thursday 12th of March at...

Nightglow investigating rocket launched from Esrange

15:11 November 19, 2025

On 17 November 2025, at 18:46 local time, the ORIGIN-2 sounding rocket was successfully launched from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden. The Department of Meteorology at Stockholm University, MISU, conducts research in the atmosphere using sounding rockets. The rocket campaign investigates...