Andøya Space

About Andøya Space

In 1962, amidst the Cold War space race, Norway established the Andøya Rocket Range on a remote northern island. Its purpose was scientific, leveraging its arctic location to launch sounding rockets for studying the aurora borealis. This initiative was a collaboration between Norway, Denmark, and the United States, with NASA providing key systems. For decades, it served as a critical site for international research missions, launching over 1,200 sub-orbital rockets for agencies like NASA and ESA. The organization, now known as Andøya Space, is a commercial entity primarily owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade and Industry (90%) with Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace holding the remaining 10%. Recognizing the shift in the space industry towards smaller satellites, the company began a major transformation. In 2018, plans were formally initiated to develop an orbital launch facility. A significant milestone occurred in November 2023 with the official opening of Andøya Spaceport, continental Europe's first operational spaceport. This project received substantial government support, including over $35 million in 2021. The new spaceport is designed to launch small satellites into polar and sun-synchronous orbits. German launch provider Isar Aerospace signed a 20-year exclusive agreement for the first launch pad, positioning Andøya as a key player in Europe's commercial "New Space" industry. In August 2024, the spaceport received its official operator license, permitting up to 30 launches per year and marking its readiness for commercial operations.