Spaceport North Sea || EuroSpaceport || spaceport.eu

Spaceport North Sea

About

Spaceport North Sea is a launch system for suborbital and orbital rockets. The system is based in the city of Esbjerg at the western coast of Denmark.

Services

Spaceport North Sea is a full service launch facility offering to handle all parts of the launch, so that customers can concentrate on their main business area. The service provided includes legal preparations to comply with Danish and European legislation.

Spaceport North Sea manages and coordinates all steps of the launch process with major partners in Esbjerg, so that equipments can be delivered and maintained utilizing decades of experience and benefitting from a well educated workforce experienced in offshore operations.

Timeline

2024/09

Rocket Test
Range Service

2024/12

Microgravity
Service

2025/10

Small Satellite Launch Service

2028/08

General Payload
Launch Service

The launch system

The Spaceport North Sea launch system comprises mostly of existing technologies. As Esbjergs has decades of experience operating and maintaining offshore industries, most of the hardware components for the system is widely used in the Esbjerg area. The expertise needed to execute space operations and the overall management is provided by EuroSpaceport.

Spaceport North Sea uses an existing building at the harbour of Esbjerg. The building is modified to include an integration facility and a top of the line control center. Most types of rocket fuel can be provided. During operations areas are secured using fast boats. The launch takes place from a modified vessel normally used for offshore wind turbine maintanence. A support vessel is located with visible line of sight but at a distance according to safety standards. Recovery is done by the fast boats.

Sustainability

Sustainability is a major focus for Spaceport North Sea. Energy for launches will be provided using green energy. Esbjergs status as a major green energy hub makes this possible. Using technologies like power-to-x wind energy will be turned into rocket fules. It is a clear objective for Spaceport North Sea to become the first spaceport to provide CO2 neutral launch to orbit.

Energy is produced by wind turbines on shore as well as offshore. Clean energy will be converted into rocket fuels to eventually obtain CO2 neutral services. Esbjerg is a major research center for power-to-x technology and one of the worlds biggest offshore wind farms will be established off the coast further north.

The launch site

Launches takes place from the ocean 50 to 100 km offshore west of Esbjerg. The distance to land ensures, that no residential areas are near the launch site. Also the distance protects from noise.

Temperatures at the launch site is stable throughout the year usually not exceeding 15 degrees celcius or falling below 5 degrees. Wind speeds are mostly below 10 meters pr. second.

The sea floor level is low enough for wind turbine vessels to extend their specialized legs on to the floor. Spaceport North Sea uses a modified ship with such legs for smaller rockets.