Editing Svalbard Rocket Range (section)

== History ==
Planning of a launch site in Ny-Ålesund started in 1993,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rødberg |first1=Ole Anders |last2=Collett |first2=John Petter |url=http://www.esa.int/esapub/hsr/HSR_35.pdf |title=Norwegian Space Activities 1958–2003: A Historical Overview |page=48 |date=October 2004 |publisher=[[European Space Agency]] |access-date=10 April 2012 |archive-date=29 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140429223424/http://www.esa.int/esapub/hsr/HSR_35.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> a location chosen because of its ideal location to study the polar cusp.<ref name=kingsbay>{{cite web |url=http://www.kingsbay.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144&Itemid=120 |title=Other Research Institutions in Ny-Ålesund |publisher=[[Kings Bay (company)|Kings Bay]] |date=May 1997 |access-date=30 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414225456/http://www.kingsbay.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144&Itemid=120 |archive-date=14 April 2012 }}</ref> Construction of the site started in the summer of 1997.<ref name=nysmac>{{cite web |url=http://nysmac.npolar.no/Newsletters/Newsletter-1-Ed.htm |title=SvalRak: Sounding Rocket Launch Facility in Ny-Ålesund |publisher=Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee |date=May 1997 |access-date=30 October 2012 |archive-date=23 February 2013 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130223081320/http://nysmac.npolar.no/Newsletters/Newsletter-1-Ed.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Norwegian Institute for Air Research]], which conducts air measurements in Ny-Ålesund, was concerned that the rockets could pollute their measurements.<ref>{{cite news |title=–Spent på Svalbardrakettene |last=Sellevåg |first=Inge |work=[[Bergens Tidende]] |date=15 November 1997 |page=34 |language=no}}</ref> A test rocket was launched on 15 November.<ref name=larsen>{{cite news |title=Romfartshistorie på 79° nord |last=Larsen |first=Rolf L. |work=[[Aftenposten]] |date=16 November 1997 |language=no}}</ref> The first proper launch was an Indian [[Rohini (rocket family)|Rohini]] RH-300 MkII<ref>{{Cite book|title=From fishing hamlet to red planet : India's space journey|others=Manoranjan Rao, P. V.,, Suresh, B. N.,, Balagangadharan, V. P.,, Indian Space Research Organisation.|date=15 December 2015 |isbn=9789351776895|location=Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India|oclc=933430784}}</ref> sounding rocket purchased from [[Indian Space Research Organisation|ISRO]] and christened ''Isbjørn 1 (Polar Bear 1)''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.spansen.com/2017/02/when-indian-rocket-shot-up-from.html|title=When An Indian Rocket Shot Up Into The Norwegian Sky|website=Spansen.com}}</ref> This rocket contained instruments from [[University Centre in Svalbard]], the [[University of Tromsø]] and the [[Norwegian Defence Research Establishment]].<ref name=nysmac /> The {{convert|510|kg|adj=on}} rocket had a [[payload (air and space craft)|payload]] of {{convert|70|kg}} and reached {{convert|120|km|sp=us}} altitude.<ref name=larsen /> It was followed by two [[Black Brant (rocket)|Black Brant]] rockets for the [[National Aeronautics and Space Administration]] which reached an altitude of {{convert|500|km|sp=us}}.<ref>{{cite news |title=–Svar ikke nødvendig |last=Sellevåg |first=Inge |work=[[Bergens Tidende]] |date=15 November 1997 |page=34 |language=no}}</ref>