But this situation potentially blurs lines. For example, why would Norway accept the unlimited liability under UN OST of a German vehicle going wrong, when all it provides is the concrete launch pad?
Edinburgh, 6 January 2022. – South-Korean Innospace and Norwegian Andøya Space signed a Memorandum of Understanding to launch into polar and sun-synchronous orbits from Norway, Andøya Space announced.
Andøya Space has responded to a journalist and say they expect construction to start at the end of the month. So the previous application process can't be a hindrance to starting. I believe pad A is unchanged from the first approved application, so maybe they can build that, and only need the new permit for pad B and C.Swedish article: https://www.nyteknik.se/premium/vem-vinner-rymdkampen-sverige-eller-norge-7028482 (Google translate)
Well, it is good to know there are places in this world where the relevant government agencies actually encourage and support the growth of a new space launch industry in their country.I wish that were true in Australia
Quote from: CameronD on 02/16/2022 10:59 pmWell, it is good to know there are places in this world where the relevant government agencies actually encourage and support the growth of a new space launch industry in their country.I wish that were true in Australia I know there is this site: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whalers_Way_Orbital_Launch_ComplexBut are you referring to the resistance from environmentalists?There is some resistance at Andøya as well. The local fisheries really don't like the maritime closures that would be required. Some general NIMBY from owners of affected properties, as well. Environmentalists probably would be more concerned if there hadn't been suborbital launches being performed since the 60s.
Andoyaspace.no: Coorperation agreement for Andoya Spaceport Phase 1 signed (Norwegan, use translate)Andoya Spaceport has entered a cooperation agreement with SEKK and LNS for the development and construction of the first launch zone at Andoya (Nordmela/ Børvågen) orbital launch site. The first phase also includes the first vehicle assembly building, support building and temporary launch control center. This work is planned for this year. The article contains images and a vimeo video with progress of groundwork at the launch site, and the quarry that AFAIK could be used to stow pyrotechnics in the future.There are follow-on phases that could lead to spaceport completion by 2025. With AFAIK three launch zones. I think they could be allowed to do 30 orbital launches annually from Andoya orbital spaceport.
2. First launch scheduled for second half of 2023. Source: https://andoyaspace.no/news-articles/well-under-way-to-the-first-test-launch-from-andoya-spaceportt/
The King in Council decided today that the responsibility for issuing permits to launch rockets from Norwegian soil is delegated to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority.- With the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority as the national licensing authority, we get a competent and dedicated professional environment, which can make good assessments for launches from Norwegian soil. This is an important piece in the work to ensure that Norway will be a responsible, predictable and competitive provider of satellite launches, says Industry Minister Cecilie Myrseth.The launch of objects into space from Norwegian territory is subject to Act 13 June 1969 no. 38, which stipulates that permission from the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries is required for such launches. In practice, only Andøya Space's launches of research rockets from Andøya and Svalbard have so far been covered by this provision. Permission for this has been issued by the Ministry of Trade and Fisheries itself. Andøya Spaceport has entered into an agreement with Isar Aerospace, which this year plans to launch the first satellite from Norwegian soil into space. These are larger rockets, which require a more comprehensive permit regime than has been used for the smaller research rockets from Andøya and Svalbard. There is therefore a need for a dedicated authority that can assess applications and issue permits.Since 1 January 2023, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority has been the national supervisory authority for space activities. This responsibility is now extended to also include issuing permits for launching rockets. The tasks covered by the authority's responsibility include supervision of and permission for launch suppliers, and supervision of and payload assessment of satellites. In addition to the responsibility of being the licensing authority for launches, the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority has also been given administrative responsibility for the Space Registry Convention of 12 November 1974. This is an international agreement which, among other things, obliges Norway to keep an overview of Norwegian-owned satellites, and to report these to the UN registry.
Nice, I missed that one. To sum up, there will be intermittent road closures past the launch site 12:00-20:00 in the period August 30th through September 13th. This is for operational test activities.I would think this is some sort of Isar Aerospace Spectrum stage testing. Hopefully there will be some information when things start happening.
Quote from: Yggdrasill on 08/28/2024 06:45 pmNice, I missed that one. To sum up, there will be intermittent road closures past the launch site 12:00-20:00 in the period August 30th through September 13th. This is for operational test activities.I would think this is some sort of Isar Aerospace Spectrum stage testing. Hopefully there will be some information when things start happening.It is for the launching of scientific rocket: “Bolt”. The launch is planned in the period of September 2nd -9th, between the hours of 10:00 and 16:30 local time.See here: https://andoyaspace.no/info-messages/student-rocket-august-3rd/
Norway and the United States have signed a Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA) to facilitate the launch of U.S. satellites and launch vehicles from Andøya Spaceport. The agreement marks a significant milestone in strengthening bilateral cooperation in space technology and security.
Andøya Spaceport in collaboration with Exolaunch, aims to elevate launch capabilities at new integration facility.Andøya Spaceport, strategically located in northern Norway at 69°N and 16°E, with orbital launch pads offering direct injection into Polar and sun-synchronous orbits (SSO), today announced a strategic collaboration with Exolaunch, a global leader in integration, rideshare missions, and deployment services.This partnership will leverage Exolaunch’s satellite processing expertise for Andøya Spaceport’s planned integration facility in the Spaceport Village at Nordmela, to become a hub for the small-satellite market in Europe.“We welcome the partnership with Exolaunch to ensure our new facilities are designed efficiently and with our end-users in mind. Exolaunch’s experience with over 30 missions will provide valuable input during design and construction to best meet user needs”, says Andøya Spaceport President Ingun Berget“Supporting Andøya Spaceport while they scale their facilities and product offerings for orbital-class small launch vehicles is an exciting step for Exolaunch as we continue expanding our work in Scandinavia,” commented Robert W. Sproles, chief executive officer at Exolaunch. “Andøya Spaceport’ world-class infrastructure and prime location at the edge of the Arctic Circle make it a standout launch site for small satellite missions. Their capabilities complement our expertise in enabling ambitious small satellite missions, from precise orbit deployment to mission flexibility and costefficiency. At Exolaunch, we’ve built a track record of deploying hundreds of satellites with reliability, empowering operators to achieve their goals in science, technology, and connectivity. We look forward to working with the team at Andøya Spaceport and their customers to shape a dynamic future for small satellite launches in Europe and support the region’s emergence as a global leader in space innovation.”
As Europe’s new launch facility for small satellites, Andøya Spaceport is uniquely positioned to offer access to high inclination, polar and sun-synchronous orbits, explains Hanssen. – Our northern vantage point, free from significant air and maritime traffic, provides optimal conditions for safe and efficient launch operations over the vast oceans of the north. We continue our work with the next phase of expansion to support our full operational capability which includes launch pads for several different launchers and facilities for assembly, integration and testing.
261326Z JUN 25HYDROARC 87/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING IN PROGRESS 0530Z TO 1145Z DAILY THRU 14 JUL IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 69-18.00N 016-05.00E, 69-24.00N 015-53.00E, 69-23.00N 015-50.00E, 69-17.00N 015-59.00E. B. 69-44.00N 015-36.00E, 70-00.00N 015-17.00E, 69-55.00N 014-37.00E, 69-40.00N 014-58.00E, 69-44.00N 015-36.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 141245Z JUL 25.
NGA rocket launching notice for a launch from Andøya.Quote from: NGA261326Z JUN 25HYDROARC 87/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING IN PROGRESS 0530Z TO 1145Z DAILY THRU 14 JUL IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 69-18.00N 016-05.00E, 69-24.00N 015-53.00E, 69-23.00N 015-50.00E, 69-17.00N 015-59.00E. B. 69-44.00N 015-36.00E, 70-00.00N 015-17.00E, 69-55.00N 014-37.00E, 69-40.00N 014-58.00E, 69-44.00N 015-36.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 141245Z JUL 25.
Quote from: randomname on 06/26/2025 05:35 pmNGA rocket launching notice for a launch from Andøya.Quote from: NGA261326Z JUN 25HYDROARC 87/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING IN PROGRESS 0530Z TO 1145Z DAILY THRU 14 JUL IN AREAS BOUND BY: A. 69-18.00N 016-05.00E, 69-24.00N 015-53.00E, 69-23.00N 015-50.00E, 69-17.00N 015-59.00E. B. 69-44.00N 015-36.00E, 70-00.00N 015-17.00E, 69-55.00N 014-37.00E, 69-40.00N 014-58.00E, 69-44.00N 015-36.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 141245Z JUL 25.Confirmation of one rocket launch between 30 June and 14 July from the Andøya Space website:https://andoyaspace.no/info-messages/farevarsel-danger-area-12-22-jun/#englishThe mission is called MaxiDusty-2 and will be carried out with an Improved Malemute rocket:https://en.uit.no/project/maxidusty2https://www.instagram.com/p/DLXWnYchQeP
Some fun slow motion footage from last week's MaxiDusty-2 launch from @AndoyaSpace in Norway.Credit: @DLR_en MORABA
300703Z AUG 25HYDROARC 147/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 1300Z TO 0200Z DAILY 01 THRU 08 AND 1600Z TO 0200Z DAILY 08 THRU 28 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 69-27.00N 015-30.00E, 69-39.00N 015-52.00E, 69-37.00N 016-09.00E, 69-28.00N 016-04.00E, 69-20.00N 016-27.00E, 69-20.00N 016-50.00E, 69-31.00N 017-18.00E, 69-33.00N 017-26.00E, 69-52.00N 017-22.00E, 69-53.00N 014-59.00E, 69-33.00N 014-45.00E, 69-10.00N 015-04.00E, 69-05.00N 015-38.00E, 69-07.00N 015-44.00E, 69-27.00N 015-31.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 290300Z SEP 25.
NGA rocket launching notice for a launch out of Andøya.Quote from: NGA300703Z AUG 25HYDROARC 147/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 1300Z TO 0200Z DAILY 01 THRU 08 AND 1600Z TO 0200Z DAILY 08 THRU 28 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 69-27.00N 015-30.00E, 69-39.00N 015-52.00E, 69-37.00N 016-09.00E, 69-28.00N 016-04.00E, 69-20.00N 016-27.00E, 69-20.00N 016-50.00E, 69-31.00N 017-18.00E, 69-33.00N 017-26.00E, 69-52.00N 017-22.00E, 69-53.00N 014-59.00E, 69-33.00N 014-45.00E, 69-10.00N 015-04.00E, 69-05.00N 015-38.00E, 69-07.00N 015-44.00E, 69-27.00N 015-31.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 290300Z SEP 25.
I think this is a notice for a military (Kongsberg)activity, not a orbital launch.
021920Z SEP 25HYDROARC 151/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.CANCEL HYDROARC 147/25 AND THIS MSG.
Astrobotic@astrobotic🚀 Astrobotic is heading to Norway! We’re partnering with @AndoyaSpace to launch our reusable Xodiac rockets from Andøya starting in 2026. New site. New capabilities. Same mission: advancing space tech for Earth + beyond. 🌍✨ #SpaceTech
Andrew Parsonson@AndrewParsonson·DLR is preparing to launch its ATHEAt reusable space transportation demonstrator, testing re-entry technologies for future reusable space vehicles.
The first ATHEAt launch will be managed by the DLR MORABA team and is slated to take place between 3 and 11 October, with daily launch windows between 10:30 and 16:45 CET.
ATHEAt stands for Advanced Technologies for High Energetic Atmospheric Flight of Launcher Stages. It is an flight experiment conducted by the German Aerospace Center (DLR) to test materials, cooling techniques, miniaturized non-intrusive sensors and aerodynamic properties for future reusable space vehicles.[...]The launch vehicle will not leave Earth’s atmosphere but aims to reach a maximum altitude of about 54 kilometers. “This is still about 50 kilometers short of space, but reaching space is not an objective for now.”
Was the scrub due to the weather? According to the weather forecast, there’s a gentle breeze from the southeast with gusts up to 8 m/s expected tomorrow.https://www.yr.no/en/forecast/hourly-table/1-2458173/Norway/Nordland/And%C3%B8y/Nordmela?i=1
In the clip you only showed the red kite burn, the clip ended just after the ignition of the Black Brant V second stage. There was an intentional delay between staging and black brant ignition. This enabled the suppressed trajactory and the high mach flight regime.
Quote from: Rik ISS-fan on 10/06/2025 05:34 pmIn the clip you only showed the red kite burn, the clip ended just after the ignition of the Black Brant V second stage. There was an intentional delay between staging and black brant ignition. This enabled the suppressed trajactory and the high mach flight regime.Indeed- Second stage ignition appears to happen around the t+46 second mark as seen in the full video- https://www.youtube.com/live/BVgFr1y1DXM?si=H0i7lrTAVRrqcrow&t=4703 (1:18:22 in the YouTube video time).
Andrew Parsonson@AndrewParsonsonThe DLR ATHEAt mission, carrying a small reusable space transportation demonstrator, was succesfully launched from @AndoyaSpace on 6 October. The rocket's first stage was a Red Kite booster (developed by DLR and Bayern-Chemie) and the second was a Black Brant Mark 4 booster.
The ATHEAt flight experiment leaves the launch padOn 6 October 2025, the ATHEAt flight experiment was launched from the Andøya Space launch site in Norway. Its research centres on technologies for reusable space transportation vehicles. To protect it from moisture, the upper part of the research rocket was fitted with a foam cap, which broke apart at lift-off.
Periodic closure of county roadOperations may take place in Børvågen from week 43 to 49. This will result in the county road through Børvågen being periodically closed during the specified period. These closures will be announced on our website and via our SMS service.Airspace restrictions and camera surveillanceThe area around the spaceport is a permanent airspace restriction zone, which means that all aircraft must apply for permission to use the airspace by sending an application to [email protected].
This is only speculation, but could this be a test of the first stage of the Spectrum rocket? Operations for 6 weeks is a long time...https://andoyaspace.no/info-messages/farevarsel-hazard-area-warning-borvagen/QuotePeriodic closure of county roadOperations may take place in Børvågen from week 43 to 49. This will result in the county road through Børvågen being periodically closed during the specified period. These closures will be announced on our website and via our SMS service.Airspace restrictions and camera surveillanceThe area around the spaceport is a permanent airspace restriction zone, which means that all aircraft must apply for permission to use the airspace by sending an application to [email protected].
Rocket Experiment for Neutral Upwelling (RENU) 3Rocket Type: Oriole IV sounding rocketLaunch Date: No Earlier than November 13, 2025Launch Location: Andoya Space Center, NorwayDescription: When the solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetosphere, both energy and matter can be transferred across the magnetopause boundary. This transfer gives rise to numerous phenomena, including ion outflow and neutral upwelling in the polar cusps. RENU 3 will study the electrodynamic properties of the cusp during a neutral upwelling event.Grand cHallenge MesOsphere Student rocket (GHOST)Rocket Type: Terrier-Improved Malemute sounding rocketLaunch Date: Night. No Earlier than November 13, 2025Launch Location: Andoya Space Center, NorwayDescription: GHOST is an international student rocket program where student teams design experiments to study the mesosphere and lower thermosphere as part of a large-scale collaboration involving eight nations. Like RockSat-X, it’s a competitive program where students progress through rigorous design reviews and testing phases, with their experiments flying to space altitudes of 150-170km to conduct atmospheric research.
Andrew ParsonsonAndrewParsonsonSome slow-motion footage of the recent ATHEAt launch from Andøya Space in Norway. The rocket's first stage was powered by the Red Kite booster, which @DLR_en developed in partnership with Bayern-Chemie. Video credit: DLR MORABA
Quote from: randomname on 08/30/2025 06:39 pmNGA rocket launching notice for a launch out of Andøya.Quote from: NGA300703Z AUG 25HYDROARC 147/25(43).NORWEGIAN SEA.NORWAY.DNC 22.1. HAZARDOUS OPERATIONS, ROCKET LAUNCHING 1300Z TO 0200Z DAILY 01 THRU 08 AND 1600Z TO 0200Z DAILY 08 THRU 28 SEP IN AREA BOUND BY 69-27.00N 015-30.00E, 69-39.00N 015-52.00E, 69-37.00N 016-09.00E, 69-28.00N 016-04.00E, 69-20.00N 016-27.00E, 69-20.00N 016-50.00E, 69-31.00N 017-18.00E, 69-33.00N 017-26.00E, 69-52.00N 017-22.00E, 69-53.00N 014-59.00E, 69-33.00N 014-45.00E, 69-10.00N 015-04.00E, 69-05.00N 015-38.00E, 69-07.00N 015-44.00E, 69-27.00N 015-31.00E.2. CANCEL THIS MSG 290300Z SEP 25.I think this is a notice for a military (Kongsberg)activity, not a orbital launch.Is his the safety massage corresponding to this activity at the andoya range?https://andoyaspace.no/info-messages/farevarsel-danger-area-2/
In a spectacular display of international collaboration, NASA and Andøya Space successfully launched the student-oriented research rocket GHOST from Andøya.“We are thrilled to announce that the rocket performed great,” says Kolbjørn Blix, VP Sub-Orbital at Andøya Space, and also one of the two principal investigators for the GHOST mission. “The cubesats deployed and the students where able to get signals from them.”The two-stage GHOST rocket lifted off at 10:05:59 UTC on November 18th, and reached an apogee of 268 kilometers during its flight.
Rocket Experiment for Neutral Upwelling (RENU) 3Rocket Type: Oriole IV sounding rocketLaunch Date: No Earlier than November 13, 2025Launch Location: Andoya Space Center, NorwayDescription: When the solar wind interacts with the Earth’s magnetosphere, both energy and matter can be transferred across the magnetopause boundary. This transfer gives rise to numerous phenomena, including ion outflow and neutral upwelling in the polar cusps. RENU 3 will study the electrodynamic properties of the cusp during a neutral upwelling event.
In a statement, Mari Amanda Eldholm, Senior Advisor of Industrial Policy at the Norwegian Space Agency, revealed that Norway had contributed €55 million to space transportation, which she explained “includes the European Launcher Challenge.” Eldholm said that its contribution would go towards developing launch services from Andøya spaceport with Andøya Space, the spaceport’s commercial operator, and Germany’s Isar Aerospace, which maintains a launch pad at the facility.
The largest Norwegian allocation, €55 million, will go to ESA’s space transportation programme, which includes continued development of Europe’s Ariane and Vega launchers. Nearly €30 million of that contribution is earmarked for the European Launcher Challenge (ELC), designed to foster competitive and cost-effective European launch services.The ELC is of particular interest to Norway’s Andøya Space and Germany’s Isar Aerospace, which are working together to develop launch capacity from Andøya. “If Europe is to succeed in commercialising the launch market, fair competition is essential. ELC can help ensure that,” Hauglie-Hanssen said.
Temporary danger areas established in connection with rocket launch from Andoya SpaceAndoya Space is planning a launch activity in collaboration with German Aerospace Center (DLR) from Andoya, Norway during the period 02 FEB 2026 - 09 FEB 2026. The activity involves the launch of one (1) scientific research rocket.Danger areas with relevant FBZ will be established in ENOR and ENOB FIR in accordance with the table below.Effective dates and times: 02 FEB 2026 - 09 FEB 2026, Daily 0845 - 1515 UTC
NOTAM #: A0095/26Issue Date UTC: 01/08/2026 1433Start Date UTC: 02/02/2026 0845End Date UTC: 02/09/2026 1515Q) ENXX/QRDTT/IV/BO /W /000/999/7103N01107E149A) ENOR ENOB B) 2602020845 C) 2602091515E) TRIGGER NOTAM - AIP SUP 02/26 WEF 08 JAN 2026.TEMPO DANGER AREAS ESTABLISHED IN CONNECTION WITH ROCKET LAUNCH FROM ANDOYA SPACE.FOR DETAILS SEE SUP AVBL AT WWW.AVINOR.NO/AISF) GND G) UNL
Hypersonica, the Anglo-German defence and aerospace company building Europe’s sovereign hypersonic strike capability, today announced successful completion of its first hypersonic test flight at Andøya Space in Norway – the first privately funded European defence company to achieve this technological milestone.Hypersonica’s missile prototype accelerated to speeds exceeding Mach 6, with a range of over 300km. Throughout the ascent and subsequent descent through the atmosphere, all systems operated nominally. System performance was successfully validated down to subcomponent level at hypersonic speeds.Hypersonica co-founders Dr. Philipp Kerth (CEO) and Dr. Marc Ewenz (CTO) said: “Hypersonica has achieved a major milestone on our pathway to developing Europe’s first sovereign hypersonic strike capability by 2029. Our test flight yielded invaluable datasets that will inform the design and development of future high‑speed strike systems and enhance our ability to analyse adversary weapon profiles. As a privately funded startup, our speed from design to the launchpad in just 9 months should recalibrate expectations about the costs and time needed to develop this crucial capability.“This is a proud moment for European defence innovation. As Europeans grounded in the values of freedom and democracy, we pursue this work with a clear sense of responsibility for the safe and principled development of this cutting‑edge technology.“We are grateful for the expert support and partnership from Andøya Space on this successful mission.”Hypersonica’s goal is to develop hypersonic strike capability by 2029. This timeline is a phased approach with successive test flights aimed at: achieving hypersonic flight, demonstrating advanced flight control at hypersonic speeds, then achieving complex manoeuvrability, and finally achieving full mission requirements.Preparation for this maiden test flight included concept, design, procurement, integration, and ground testing on the technical side as well as export control, regulations, flight safety, range organization on the commercial side, all completed within 9 months.Hypersonica’s modular architecture enables swift upgrades and shorter, more cost-efficient development cycles, reducing costs by over 80 % compared with conventional approaches. This approach will enable Europe to field hypersonic capability within the timelines of both the NATO and UK 2030 Hypersonic Frameworks - and at a fraction of the usual expense.
With the successful launch of the ATHEAt flight experiment on the Norwegian island of Andøya, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) has reached a significant milestone in developing technologies for reusable space transportation systems. Aboard a sounding rocket, the flight experiment raced for several minutes in a shallow arc over the sea in northern Norway, simulating the particularly challenging conditions of re-entry into Earth's atmosphere – namely temperatures of 2,000 degrees Celsius and higher, and a top speed of Mach 9.2. In the video, DLR researchers explain the goals of ATHEAt. They also provide insights into the development and construction of the flight experiment and demonstrate how they managed the extreme aerothermal and aerodynamic loads during the flight and collected unique data.
Researchers have investigated rocket noise at AndøyaSound from rocket launches at Andøya Spaceport does not travel far enough in the sea to affect fish behavior in the important fishing areas off Andøya. This is shown by new research from the Institute of Marine Research, writes Kyst og Fjord.Fishermen have been concerned that increased space activity at Andøya could scare fish away from important fishing grounds. Researcher Tonje Nesse Forland at the Institute of Marine Research dismisses this.“The measured sound from the launch is below levels that typically trigger reactions in fish,” says Forland.According to Forland, shallow waters, islets, and skerries outside Andøya Spaceport help dampen the sound before it reaches the areas where the fish are.
