Firefly Aerospace, SSC Secure SEK 209 Million Deal and Complete Launchpad Milestones for 2028 Launch
FLY•Firefly Aerospace and SSC Space completed launch control, payload processing, integration and tracking at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center, advancing pad construction at Launch Complex 3C for the Alpha rocket with first launch slated in 2028. They secured a Technology Safeguards Agreement, an FAA-Swedish cooperation framework and SEK 209 million Swedish defense contracts.
1. Infrastructure Completed at Esrange Launch Complex 3C
Firefly Aerospace and SSC Space have finalized core facilities at Launch Complex 3C, including launch control center, payload processing facility, launch vehicle integration building, tracking and control systems, plus security and storage. Final pad construction is underway to support Alpha rocket operations, targeting a first orbital launch from mainland Europe by 2028.
2. Regulatory Frameworks Secured
In April 2026, the Swedish National Space Agency and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to streamline launch licensing, complementing the Technology Safeguards Agreement that enables export of U.S. space technology. These agreements establish a shared regulatory framework for commercial launches of the Alpha rocket from Sweden.
3. SEK 209 Million Contract for Swedish Armed Forces
SSC Space inked a SEK 209 million deal with the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration, granting the Swedish Armed Forces dedicated access to launch satellites using Alpha. This contract positions Esrange Space Center as a national security asset, expanding Sweden’s strategic autonomy in space operations.
4. Strategic Implications for European Market
The partnership advances Firefly’s global launch expansion strategy and ‘launch as a franchise’ model, diversifying orbital access beyond U.S. sites. Esrange’s high-latitude location supports sun-synchronous and polar orbits with Alpha’s two-stage vehicle capable of delivering 1,000 kg to low Earth orbit, boosting Europe’s competitiveness in commercial and defense missions.
