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Over 70 licensed launch facilities now operate globally — 20 commissioned since 2020.
| Attribute | Esrange Space Center 🇸🇪 Sweden Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Operator-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | Baikonur Cosmodrome 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan Active · Last updated 2026-06-01Trust: Agency-primaryⓘ Last verified Remove × | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | Swedish Space Corporation (SSC) | Roscosmos | Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) |
| Ownership | State Enterprise | International Consortium | Military |
| Region | 🇸🇪 Sweden | 🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | 🇸🇪 Sweden |
| Launch pads | 1 orbital pad (under development; multiple sounding rocket launch rails)as of [1] | 9 active (Soyuz-2 × 3, Proton-M × 2, Zenit × 1, Zenith-3SLB, and reserve pads)as of [1]Many historic pads retired; total complex has 52 pads historically ↑ Most pads | — |
| Annual launches | 8–12 suborbitalas of [1]Orbital capacity ~100 kg planned for 2027; SSC orbital pad construction ongoing | ~15as of [1] | Multiple test campaigns/year (classified) |
| Max payload (LEO) | suborbital only (historical); ~100 kg to SSO planned 2027as of [1] ↑ Highest capacity | 22,800 kg to LEO (Proton-M)as of [1] | — |
| First operational launch | 1966-11-19as of [1]First Nike-Cajun sounding rocket from Esrange; first European orbital launch site when orbital pad opens | 1957-10-04as of [1]Sputnik 1 — first artificial Earth satellite ever launched | 1957 |
| Regulatory regime | Swedish Space Act (1982:963) + Swedish National Space Agency; EU/EASA airspace coordination | Roscosmos (lease through 2050) / Kazakhstan KazCosmos co-oversight under 1994 lease agreement | Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) + Swedish Ministry of Defence; coordinated airspace closures with EU/EASA |
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