SSC launched its ORIGIN-2 sounding rocket from Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden on 31 May 2026, using DLR’s Red Kite solid rocket motor and carrying 12 experiments. The mission was aimed at studying nightglow and related upper-atmosphere processes, adding another European sounding rocket flight to the Esrange launch manifest.
The Red Kite motor is a one-tonne-class solid rocket motor developed by the German Aerospace Center for European sounding rockets. It is designed for one- or two-stage configurations, with a maximum thrust of 226 kN and a burn time of 12 seconds. Depending on configuration, it can carry payloads between 200 and 600 kilograms to altitudes of up to 350 kilometres.
The ORIGIN-2 flight follows the first Red Kite test launch from Andøya Space Center in Norway, which reached 71 kilometres and a maximum speed of 5,150 kilometres per hour. SSC operates Esrange as a base for sounding rocket and balloon missions supporting suborbital research.