According to the state space company, the rocket’s payload has been found “in good condition” and has been transported back to the Swedish space base Esrange by helicopter.
Meanwhile, the Swedish Space Corporation is investigating why the rocket crashed outside Esrange’s landing area, which is about 5,200 square kilometers and roughly twice the size of the country of Luxembourg.
– We are investigating all possible causes of the incident, says Philip Ohlsson, head of communications at Swedish Space Corporation.
Irritation i Norge
The rocket landed 15 kilometers into the Norwegian side, in an uninhabited area in Målselv municipality, about 40 kilometers northwest of the planned impact site in Sweden.
The mistake also caused irritated reactions from the Norwegian authorities.
According to Swedish Space Corporation, the company has informed the Norwegian authorities about the incident. This is confirmed by Jonny Karlsen, spokesperson at the Norwegian Armed Forces’ operational headquarters, for NTB.
