Swedish Space Corporation
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| Government-owned | |
| Industry | Space |
| Founded | Solna, Sweden (1972) |
| Headquarters | Solna, Sweden |
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Key people
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Stefan Gardefjord, CEO |
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Number of employees
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636 as of 2011 |
| Website | SSC |
Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) is a comprehensive space company that has 40 years of experience in helping space organizations, companies and research organizations with access to space.
SSC provides specialized competence in space subsystems, space and satellite operations, rocket and balloon systems including experiment equipment, launch services, aerospace engineering services as well as airborne maritime surveillance systems. Through its wholly owned subsidiaries ECAPS and NanoSpace, SSC is also engaged in the development of environmentally friendly propulsion systems and micromechanical systems for space applications.
From its facility Esrange Space Center in Northern Sweden, SSC launches sounding rockets and high-altitude balloons for research in the areas of microgravity, astrophysics, astronomy and atmospheric studies. One notable program during the late 1980s/early 1990s was a joint project with the Society of Japanese Aerospace Companies using SSC's MASER rocket to lift aloft various experiments requiring microgravity environments, at a low cost. This was during a period when U.S. Space Shuttle flights along with associated planned experiments were still being disrupted by the aftermath of the Challenger disaster.
At Esrange SSC operates one of the world’s busiest civilian satellite ground stations, communicating with both telecom and scientific satellites. SSC’s facility Stockholm Teleport provides satellite communication services, and the wholly owned German company LSE is specialised in satellite control and ground station services. SSC runs a global ground station network, PrioraNet, in which its US subsidiary Universal Space Network plays a big part.
SSC operates test systems at the Vidsel Test Range, on behalf of the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV).
SSC also designs, develops and installs maritime surveillance systems which are used by coast guard authorities around the world.
July 1, 2011 SSC sold its satellite division to the German space company OHB which then formed a Swedish subsidiary named OHB-Sweden.
In February 2013, a government audit was released by the Swedish National Audit Office which concluded that "Swedish space investment is distributed among multiple organizations that operate as stovepipes with no real communication between them and no common ambition." While approximately 1 billion SEK (158 million USD) is spent each year on Swedish space initiatives, the audit report calls for additional "government oversight of the European Space Agency (ESA) and a review of the Swedish Space Corporation's structure and mission."
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Wikipedia