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Photo: DLR Picture, CC BY 3.0 de via Wikimedia Commons
Another 20 or so km along the Jukkasjärvi road is the Esrange Space Center (ESC). Run by the Swedish Space Corporation, it provides grounds for the European Space Agency and other institutions' tests and experiments, including rocket and high-altitude balloon launches. Apart from that, ESC is an important station for communication with satellites in polar orbits. The location is outstanding for observations and research of atmospheric phenomena such as northern lights, noctilucent clouds and mother-of-pearl clouds. Coffee & cookie included.
Esrange Space Center or Esrange is Sweden's space and research center located about 40 kilometers east of the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden, owned and operated by SSC Space. The base itself covers 20 square kilometers, while the impact area for rockets is 5,600 km2. Located 200 km north of the Arctic Circle, the geographic location of Esrange is advantageous thanks to the limited light pollution, allowing for studies of northern lights. The stable climate, limited commercial air traffic and sparsely populated area are further reasons why the location is well suited for space activities.
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Visitor center with reindeer and information about the Sámi people. Café and handcraft shop. Accommodation in cabins in winter season. Organizing: reindeer tours, Aurora borealis watching.
The church was built 1607 and extended 1726. It is famous for its altarpiece, made in 1958 by Bror Hjorth, a cubist wood sculptor.