SSC provides one of Europe's largest testing areas to test drop bodies / Free Falling Units in their relevant environment.
A 5 200 km2 large unihabited ground area with a 6 600 km2 restricted airspace from GND to UNL gives unprecedented possibilities to test and operate both vehicles and sensors.
Depending on the chosen vehicle, SSC gives access to altitudes between 0 and more than 260km for atmospheric research or aerodynamic drop tests.
- Helicopter: 0 - 300kg Drop Mass; up to 5km drop altitude
- Stratospheric Balloon: 0 - 500kg Drop Mass; up to 35km drop altitude
- Sounding Rocket: 0 - 25kg Drop Mass; 80 - 260km drop altitude
Recent Missions:
- LADT and HADT / EXOMARS (ESA) - Helicopter/Balloon
- SPIDER (KTH / SNSA)
- D-Send Program (JAXA)
- REXUS Program (SNSA / DLR / ESA)
- SmartFish (ESA)
https://youtu.be/7V0__xvwNk4
https://youtu.be/frCQnoy8cx8
The facilities are located on SSC Esrange and provide well sized and temperated preparation areas, offices, equipped biological laboratories and workshops as well as hotel and restaurant on site.
