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Over 70 licensed launch facilities now operate globally — 20 commissioned since 2020.
| Attribute | Alcantara Launch Center 🇧🇷 Brazil Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Operator-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Esrange Space Center 🇸🇪 Sweden Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Operator-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Brazilian Air Force (FAB) / Agência Espacial Brasileira (AEB) | Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) | Highlands and Islands Enterprise / Orbex |
| Ownership | Government | State Enterprise | Public-Private |
| Region | 🇧🇷 Brazil | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 🇬🇧 United Kingdom |
| Launch pads | 1 (CLA mobile launch vehicle; VLM-1 pad under development)as of [1] ↑ Most pads | 1 orbital pad (under development; multiple sounding rocket launch rails)as of [1] | — |
| Annual launches | 0–1 (first orbital launch pending)as of [1]Sounding rockets operational; VLM-1 orbital debut targeted 2027 | 8–12 suborbitalas of [1]Orbital capacity ~100 kg planned for 2027; SSC orbital pad construction ongoing | 0 |
| Max payload (LEO) | ~150 kg to SSO (VLM-1 target)as of [1]Near-equatorial location (2.3°S) provides ~460 m/s velocity bonus for GTO missions | suborbital only (historical); ~100 kg to SSO planned 2027as of [1] ↑ Highest capacity | — |
| First operational launch | 1990-11-21as of [1]VS-30 sounding rocket; first orbital attempt VLS-1 1997 (pad explosion); new era with VLM-1 | 1966-11-19as of [1]First Nike-Cajun sounding rocket from Esrange; first European orbital launch site when orbital pad opens | 2023 |
| Regulatory regime | AEB regulatory framework; 2019 U.S.–Brazil Technology Safeguards Agreement enables U.S.-origin payload launches | Swedish Space Act (1982:963) + Swedish National Space Agency; EU/EASA airspace coordination | UK CAA under the Space Industry Act 2018; planning consent granted Aug 2022 by Highland Council |
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