Editing Esrange (section)

{{short description|Spaceport in northern Sweden}}
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[[Image:Skylark launch.jpg|thumb|The final [[Skylark (rocket)|Skylark]] rocket launch at Esrange on 2 May 2005.]]

'''Esrange Space Center''' is a rocket range and [[research]] centre located about 40 kilometers east of the town of [[Kiruna]] in northern [[Sweden]]. It is a base for [[scientific]] research with [[high-altitude balloon]]s, investigation of the [[Aurora|aurora borealis]], [[sounding rocket]] launches, and [[satellite]] tracking, among other things. Located 200&nbsp;km north of the [[Arctic Circle]] and surrounded by a vast wilderness, its geographic location is ideal for many of these purposes.

Esrange was built in 1964 by [[European Space Research Organisation|ESRO]], the ''European Space Research Organisation'', which later became [[European Space Agency]] by merging with [[European Launcher Development Organisation|ELDO]], the European Launcher Development Organisation. The first rocket launch from Esrange occurred on 19 November 1966.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.dn.se/ekonomi/rymdturism-nasta-steg-for-raketbasen-esrange/|title=Rymdturism nästa steg för raketbasen Esrange |trans-title=Space tourism next stage for the rocket base Esrange |work=[[Dagens Nyheter]]|language=sv|first=Cecilia |last=Jacobsson|date=6 October 2007|access-date=19 March 2016}}</ref> In 1972, ownership was transferred to the newly started [[Swedish Space Corporation]].