LONDON—Although Sweden’s military deployed its first satellite in May, the nation’s top space official warns that congestion at U.S. and European launch sites could impede the rapid growth of essential orbital capabilities.
The satellite, constructed by Planet Labs and lofted on a SpaceX Falcon 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, launched four years earlier than planned owing to what officials described as a severe security environment, said Swedish Armed Forces Rear Admiral Anders Sundeman, the nation’s space chief, at a press briefing. “Time is of the essence,” he added.
As Sweden expands its orbital portfolio, it must depend on U.S. launch providers, which are increasingly overbooked amid surging military and commercial satellite demand.
“We are concerned about the constrained launch capacity on a global scale,” Rear Admiral Anders Sundeman told Defense One on the margins of the event. “It is indeed a challenge.”
Later this year Sweden intends to launch a Finnish‑built ICEYE synthetic‑aperture‑radar satellite, with a goal of fielding ten operational spacecraft within the next few years.
With orbital demand rising, securing rides on U.S. launchers will become more difficult, prompting Sweden to spend the past five years converting its primary space‑research hub into a launch site for orbital missions.
“That is why we are focused on making the Esrange launch facility in Sweden operational,” Sundeman said. “Other European initiatives exist, and we must enhance launch capacity worldwide.”
SSC Space — formerly the Swedish Space Corporation — is a government‑owned entity and the European Union’s first mainland spaceport. It is slated to conduct its inaugural orbital launch, using Texas‑based Firefly’s Alpha rocket, in 2028, according to a recent announcement.
“Establishing an orbital launch capability on mainland Europe will boost the continent’s commercial space competitiveness and bolster resilience and strategic autonomy in defence,” said Charlotta Sund, CEO and president of SSC Space, in a statement issued last month.
As Sweden seeks to expand its presence in space, reports indicate that Russia has been degrading GPS signals in the region.
In September the Swedish Transport Agency alleged that Russia intensified interference and jamming over the Baltic Sea, noting that incidents rose from 55 in 2023 to over 700 in 2025, according to the BBC.
China formerly used SSC’s ground stations in Kiruna, Chile, and Australia, as noted in the Secure World Foundation’s Global Counterspace Capabilities report; in 2020 SSC announced it would not renew those contracts, citing a shifting geopolitical landscape.
When questioned about counter‑space weapons, Sundeman said the priority remains fielding robust, non‑offensive satellites; he added that expanding large constellations also contributes to defending Sweden’s fleet against future adversaries.
“Numbers matter,” Sundeman said, “and cooperation with partners provides an additional layer of protection.”
