How can a European small satellite launch base like Andøya Space succeed?

The 17th European Space Conference will take place in Brussels on January 28-29, 2025.

At this event, leaders and other representatives from the European Space Agency (ESA) will meet with leaders and members of the European Commission. The main theme of this year's conference is strengthening Europe’s ambitions in space and developing a competitive, secure, and autonomous future.

Christian Hauglie-Hanssen, Director General of the Norwegian Space Agency (NOSA), will participate in the panel discussion "Infrastructure, operations and launchers for agile, sustainable, and competitive launch services" on January 29 at 12:00 PM.

During the discussion, he will address the commercialization of the European small satellite launch market and the conditions necessary for a European small satellite launch base, such as Andøya Space, to succeed in the international space market.

Shortage of Launch Opportunities

"There is currently a global shortage of launch opportunities for small satellites. The waiting time for a launch slot, either alongside many other small satellites or as part of a mission with larger satellites, is between one and two years", says Christian Hauglie-Hanssen.

Since Europe is not yet able to offer commercial launches for small satellites, European customers must turn to the global market. This was the case for the new Norwegian satellite NorSat-4, which was launched by SpaceX on January 14, 2025.

"At the European Space Summit in 2023, there was political agreement to end the monopoly in the European launch market", says Hauglie-Hanssen.

Until now, French Arianespace has held a monopoly on launches. Today, European launches are divided between Arianespace and the Italian company Avio.

Arianespace is responsible for launching Ariane 6, Europe’s heavy-lift launch vehicle. Avio launches Vega-C, Europe’s small and medium-lift rocket. Both rockets are launched from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana.

A Complex Issue

“Politically, Europe wants to commercialize its launch services, and this will impact launches from Kourou,” Hauglie-Hanssen says.

As an ESA member and a technology supplier for major launch vehicles, Norway is actively investing in these projects.

“However, these launch systems lack the flexibility needed to meet market demands, especially for small satellites,” he adds.

Other important questions include how much European interests should be protected and the importance of independent access to space.

“Should Europe isolate itself to the point of excluding itself from the global space market? We must understand what the desire for commercialization really means in practice,” Hauglie-Hanssen states.

Not Everyone Will Succeed

The global launch market is not open to everyone.

“Even for private-sector satellite launches, there are massive government investments in the value chain,” says Hauglie-Hanssen.

For example, both SpaceX and Blue Origin have strong financial backing, partly through agreements with NASA and the U.S. federal government. Additionally, protectionism plays a role. Many space nations prefer to launch their satellites with their own national companies and launch systems.

“A fundamental principle of commercialization is that many companies will compete, but not all will survive,” Hauglie-Hanssen adds.

A Dynamic Niche Market

“We hope that Andøya Spaceport, Norway’s small satellite launch base, will develop the expertise and ecosystem necessary to become an important player in this rapidly evolving market,” says Hauglie-Hanssen.

He also expects that small satellite launches will remain a niche market.

“Price will not be the only determining factor. Some customers will require rapid-response launches, access to specific orbits, or other specialized services,” he explains.

This means the market will be highly dynamic, requiring rapid adaptation from launch providers.

Some of the key conditions for success

"First and foremost, we must ensure that a Norwegian launch base like Andøya Spaceport has the best possible conditions to compete within the European market. This will serve as a foundation for expanding into a larger and broader market beyond Europe", says Hauglie-Hanssen.

Some of the factors for success as a launch base include efficient logistics both to and within the site, ensuring easy transport access for payloads and personnel, as well as the ability to conduct on-site integration between satellites and launch vehicles.

Other important conditions, such as predictability in launch schedules, weather, wind, and air traffic, regulatory requirements, and insurance responsibilities related to debris and accidents, will also play a significant role, Hauglie-Hanssen adds.

Students Developing Rockets

Currently, small satellite launch bases are under development at Andøya Spaceport in Norway, Esrange in Kiruna, Sweden, SaxaVord in Shetland, UK, and several other locations across Europe.

Around 50 European entities are working on developing their own launch vehicles for various needs. Among these are the German companies Isar Aerospace and Rocket Factory Augsburg, the French companies MaiaSpace and HyPrSpace, and the Danish-British company Orbex.

"Today, there are around five or six active industrial programs in Europe, along with several student-led initiatives, including in Norway, that have the potential to contribute interesting technology for launches", concludes Hauglie-Hanssen.

Several Norwegian space student organizations are developing and launching their own rockets and small satellites. Read more about it here (in Norwegian).