Svalbard Rocket Range Explained

Svalbard Rocket Range
Acronym:SvalRak
Owner:Andøya Space Center
Established:1993
Map Type:Svalbard
Coordinates:78.9314°N 11.8503°W
Url:https://nyalesundresearch.no/members/andoya-space-center-asc-norway/

The Svalbard Rocket Range or SvalRak as it is named, is a launch site for sounding rockets at Ny-Ålesund in Svalbard, Norway.[1] The site has been in use since 1997 and is owned by Andøya Space Center, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries and the Kongsberg Group. SvalRak's location at the 79th parallel north makes it well-suited for launching rockets to investigate Earth's magnetic field. It is used mostly by American, Japanese and Norwegian researchers. It is the world's northernmost launch site.

History

Planning of a launch site in Ny-Ålesund started in 1993,[2] a location chosen because of its ideal location to study the polar cusp.[3] Construction of the site started in the summer of 1997.[4] The Norwegian Institute for Air Research, which conducts air measurements in Ny-Ålesund, was concerned that the rockets could pollute their measurements.[5] A test rocket was launched on 15 November.[6] The first proper launch was an Indian Rohini RH-300 MkII[7] sounding rocket purchased from ISRO and christened Isbjørn 1 (Polar Bear 1).[8] This rocket contained instruments from University Centre in Svalbard, the University of Tromsø and the Norwegian Defence Research Establishment. The 510kg (1,120lb) rocket had a payload of and reached 120km (80miles) altitude. It was followed by two Black Brant rockets for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration which reached an altitude of 500km (300miles).[9]

Use

SvalRak is the world's northernmost rocket launch site, and is located at the 79th parallel north. This makes it an ideal location for sending instruments into Earth's magnetic field and the polar cups, cleft and cup. It is also used for studying the Magnetopause and aurora borealis, for which Ny-Ålesund is the most convenient location because of its ease of access. It is owned by Andøya Space Center, which is owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (90 percent) and the Kongsberg Group (10 percent). SvalRak has no permanent staff in Ny-Ålesund. The main users are American, Japanese and to a less extent Norwegian scientists.[10]

Launches

SvalRak originally held permission to fire four rockets every two years. Forty-one rockets had been launched by 2004, with a peak altitude of 1108km (688miles). The site was upgraded in 2018.

DateVehicleDescriptionAgencyApogee (km)
1997 November 20RH-300 Mk IIISBJORN-1 Ionosphere missionNDRE71
1997 November 20Viper 3AISBJORN-2 (MD-5) Aeronomy missionNDRE97
1997 December 2Black Brant IXPlasma missionNASA433
1997 December 3Black Brant IXPlasma missionNASA446
2000 December 4SS-520Ionosphere missionISAS1108
2001 July 16Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR108
2001 July 19Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR105
2001 July 22Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 July 22Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 July 25Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 July 28Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 July 31Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 July 31Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 2Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 6Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 9Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 12Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 17Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 17Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 20Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 20Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 23Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 27Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 28Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 28Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 August 29Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 1Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 5Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 6Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 8Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 11Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 11Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 14Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 14Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2001 September 14Viper 3AROMA Aeronomy missionDLR100
2002 December 14Black Brant 10CM1Plasma missionNASA772
2003 July 1Improved OrionROMA 2003 Aeronomy missionDLR85
2003 July 4Improved OrionROMA 2003 Aeronomy missionDLR85
2003 July 6Improved OrionROMA 2003 Aeronomy missionDLR85
2003 November 28Nike Improved OrionFAILURE: FailureNDRE12
2004 January 22Black Brant 10CM1SERSIO Plasma missionNASA790
2008 December 5VS-30/OrionARR ICI-2Sweden
2011 December 3VS-30/OrionICI-3Sweden354

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SvalRak . 2023-12-04 . www.astronautix.com.
  2. Web site: Rødberg . Ole Anders . Collett . John Petter . Norwegian Space Activities 1958–2003: A Historical Overview . 48 . October 2004 . . 10 April 2012 . 29 April 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140429223424/http://www.esa.int/esapub/hsr/HSR_35.pdf . dead .
  3. Web site: Other Research Institutions in Ny-Ålesund . . May 1997 . 30 October 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120414225456/http://www.kingsbay.no/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=144&Itemid=120 . 14 April 2012 .
  4. Web site: SvalRak: Sounding Rocket Launch Facility in Ny-Ålesund . Ny-Ålesund Science Managers Committee . May 1997 . 30 October 2012 . 23 February 2013 . https://archive.today/20130223081320/http://nysmac.npolar.no/Newsletters/Newsletter-1-Ed.htm . dead .
  5. News: –Spent på Svalbardrakettene . Sellevåg . Inge . . 15 November 1997 . 34 . no.
  6. News: Romfartshistorie på 79° nord . Larsen . Rolf L. . . 16 November 1997 . no.
  7. Book: From fishing hamlet to red planet : India's space journey. Manoranjan Rao, P. V.,, Suresh, B. N.,, Balagangadharan, V. P.,, Indian Space Research Organisation.. 15 December 2015 . 9789351776895. Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. 933430784.
  8. Web site: When An Indian Rocket Shot Up Into The Norwegian Sky. Spansen.com.
  9. News: –Svar ikke nødvendig . Sellevåg . Inge . . 15 November 1997 . 34 . no.
  10. Web site: St.meld. nr. 22 (2008-2009) Svalbard . 17 April 2009 . no . 30 October 2012.