Sweden's space chief warns US, European launch bottlenecks threaten orbital capability buildup

LONDON — Sweden’s military launched its first satellite in May, but the country’s top space officer is already concerned that bottlenecks at U.S. and European launch facilities could hinder the development of urgently needed orbital capabilities.

The satellite, built by Planet Labs and launched aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, was deployed four years ahead of schedule due to the "severe security situation," Swedish Armed Forces Rear Adm. Anders Sundeman, the country’s space chief, told reporters during a media event in London. "Time is of essence."

As Sweden seeks to expand its space assets, it will depend on U.S. launch providers that are increasingly overbooked and strained by surging military and commercial demand for new satellites.

"We, of course, are worrying about the limited launching capability, also, in a global scale," Sundeman told Defense One on the sidelines of the event. "It is a problem for sure."

Later this year, Sweden plans to launch a Finnish-made ICEYE satellite equipped with synthetic aperture radar. In total, the military aims to have 10 operational satellites in orbit within the coming years.

As orbital demands rise, securing launch slots from U.S. providers will become more difficult. That is why Sweden has spent five years working to transform its main space-research center into a launch pad for orbital missions.

"That's the reason why we are keen on the launch facility in Esrange in Sweden, for example, [to] succeed," Sundeman said. "There are some other initiatives in Europe. So, we need to improve their launching capability also in a global perspective."

SSC Space, formerly known as the Swedish Space Corporation and owned by the Swedish government, operates the European Union's first mainland spaceport. The facility is scheduled to host its first orbital satellite launch aboard Texas-based Firefly's Alpha rocket in 2028, according to a news release.

"Adding an orbital launch capability to mainland Europe will strengthen the continent's capabilities and competitiveness in the commercial space arena, while contributing to greater resilience and strategic autonomy within the defense domain," Charlotta Sund, CEO and president of SSC Space, said in last month's release.

As Sweden expands its space footprint, Russia has reportedly been degrading GPS signals in the region.

In September, the Swedish Transport Agency accused Russia of increased interference and jamming over the Baltic Sea. According to the BBC, there were 55 total incidents in 2023, which skyrocketed to more than 700 interferences in 2025.

China previously had access to the Swedish Space Corporation's ground stations in Kiruna, Chile, and Australia, according to the Secure World Foundation's Global Counterspace Capabilities report. In 2020, SSC officials said they would not renew China's contracts, citing a change in the "geopolitical situation."

When asked about the pursuit of counterspace weapons, Sundeman said the main focus has been on Sweden's initial space assets, which do not have offensive capabilities but are as "robust" as possible. Regarding defense of the country's growing fleet, he added that large constellations are one part of protecting it from future adversaries.

"One things is, of course, large quantity," Sundeman said. "And also, it's the necessity to cooperate with others, that's a kind of protection by itself."