In August 2021 an accident occured at Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, which could have had devastating consequences. Now, Keep Safe System is installed to prevent such accident to happen.
The accident occurred during a test of rocket engines, something that is regularly carried out on the space base.
The test rocket, with force stronger than expected, got loose from its ramp, and went off 200 meters at full speed, causing massive property damage. Two of the six buildings in the area burned to the ground and several of the four others weredamaged. Fortunately, no people were injured.
Immediately after the fire, an internal project started to restore the rocket launch capability and improve safety.
Last autumn, Keep received a request to install Keep Safe System within the fire cell boundaries. In February we delivered the new units including the Keep Safe System. This will protect the personnel from explosions in the future.
Esrange Space Center, Sweden’s only space base, is owned by Swedish Space Corporation. The facility is located 45 km east of Kiruna in the far north of Sweden and has been in operation since 1966, the same year as the first rocket was launched from the base.Today, Esrange works with satellite communications and services in space, atmosphere, and weightlessness research, in collaboration with researchers around the world. At Keep, we are of course very proud of providing security to the space industry.
At Keep, we are of course very proud of providing security to the space industry.
Photos Esrange: ©SSC
