Günther Lackner appointed EVP and Head of Business Area Connect. September 22, 2026 Günther Lackner has been appointed EVP and Head of Business Area Connect of SSC Space. He will take office on November 2 and be part of the Executive Committee. Günther Lackner has a background in computer science and information technology, and more than two decades of leadership experience across the technology, aerospace, and space industries. Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President of Terma Space, where he was responsible for the company's global space business. "I am excited to join SSC Space and the talented team in Business Area Connect. The space industry is in an incredibly exciting phase, and reliable, innovative and increasingly flexible ground infrastructure will be fundamental to enabling its continued growth. SSC Space has built a unique global position in this market, combining outstanding technical capabilities and infrastructure with decades of experience from some of the world's most demanding space missions", says Günther Lackner. "Günther brings extensive experience in leading international technology businesses through growth and transformation, combined with strong customer focus, technology insight, and organizational development experience. I am very pleased to welcome him as EVP and Head of Business Area Connect and member of the Executive Committee," says Charlotta Sund, President and CEO of SSC Space.

SSC Space and Airbus expand cooperation on Pléiades Neo and the new Pléiades Neo Next. September 21, 2026 SSC Space has signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space to provide extended ground station support for the Pléiades Neo mission and the new Pléiades Neo Next mission. SSC Space will serve as the prime ground segment provider for these two very-high-resolution Airbus Earth observation programs, using SSC Space ground stations at Esrange Space Center in Sweden, Inuvik Satellite Station Facility in Canada, and Punta Arenas Station in Chile. Pléiades Neo provides native 30 cm optical resolution, while Pléiades Neo Next is designed to add 20 cm-class native resolution and higher revisit. This fleet of satellites strengthens Airbus' Earth observation capabilities and reinforces its leading position in geospatial technologies. The agreement includes SSC Space delivery of routine on-orbit telemetry, tracking and command (TT&C) and data reception services for both missions while in orbit, as well as support to the launch and early orbit operations (LEOP) phase for Pléiades Neo Next, planned for 2028. It also includes optimization of the ground segment to support enhanced latency requirements, for faster data delivery to Airbus customers. "We are excited to expand our collaboration with Airbus on the next generation of its geospatial capabilities, including Pléiades Neo and Pléiades Neo Next. We will support advanced operations and enable low-latency data delivery - meeting the growing demand for faster access to Earth observation data across both defense and commercial markets," says Stefan Pessirilo, Business Development Director at SSC Space. "This collaboration highlights Airbus' ability to work with solid European partners to continuously enhance its services, remain at the forefront of Earth observation capabilities and serve its customers at best. Our continued work with SSC Space demonstrates our excellent collaboration and the performance of our joint activities," says Eric Even, Head of Space Digital at Airbus Defence and Space.

Explora - take space education to the next level! Do your students dream of working on real space projects? High schools now have the chance to participate in Explora, an exciting collaboration between the Swedish National Space Agency and SSC Space! 2026-09-11 In Explora, students step into the role of space scientists and engineers. From initial idea to completed experiment, they plan, design and build their own projects that are sent up in stratospheric balloons to collect data from the upper atmosphere. These can cover everything from climate change to technology testing and scientific investigations. During the project, students receive support from experts from SSC Space and get to experience how research and space technology work in real life. As an added bonus, Explora is an international collaboration where students can compare results and exchange experiences with participants from other countries. For teachers, Explora is a unique way to spark interest in science, technology and innovation through hands-on learning. For students, it is an opportunity to develop creativity, problem-solving skills and technical knowledge while having an unforgettable experience. Who can participate? The program is aimed at high school students throughout Sweden. When to apply? The annual application period is open from June to October 15, 2026. What are the students allowed to do? * Develop your own experiment. * Build and test a payload. * Work according to the same project model used in real space projects. * Participate in the launch of a stratospheric balloon at the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna. * Analyze and present the results after the flight. When do the postponements take place? The launches are normally carried out in May each year at the Esrange Space Center in Kiruna. The program is funded by the Swedish National Space Agency. TIP! ESERO Sweden is organizing a webinar on September 21st where Jonnie Järnmark, a teacher at Rymdgymnasiet in Kiruna, will tell you more about the Explora project. The application is open now! The application form is also available here, fill it out and email it to [email protected] no later than October 15, 2026. Questions about the project are answered by the project managers at SSC Space: Beatrice Nylund, [email protected] Abhilash Vakkada Ramachandran, [email protected]