Editing Esrange (section)

==Satellite launch capability==

Ideas to use Esrange Space Center for orbital launches has existed since the inauguration of the base in 1966, then in the vision of ESRO. As new smaller launcher projects started to emerge in the beginning of the new millennia, SSC started to form new ideas to use these to obtain an orbital capability.

On October 14, 2020, Matilda Ernkrans, the Swedish Space Minister, announced the decision of the Swedish government to establish capability to launch small satellites from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sscspace.com/ssc-to-launch-satellites-esrange-space-center/|title=SSC to launch satellites from Esrange Space Center|website=SSC|access-date=2020-10-14}}</ref>

The orbital launch site, LC-3, was inaugurated on 13 January 2023 as the ribbon was cut by the Swedish king [[Carl XVI Gustaf]], prime minister [[Ulf Kristersson]] together with [[President of the European Commission|head commissioner]] President [[Ursula von der Leyen|Ursula Von der Leyen]].<ref>{{Citation |title=Inauguration of Spaceport Esrange | date=13 January 2023 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5wRsAYzVmw |language=en |access-date=2023-02-08}}</ref> There are currently plans for an orbital launch at 2024.