Home - 27th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon

In closing, a message from the EASP and Symposium Chair, Pål Brekke:

The 27th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research has successfully concluded.

This year’s event was held in the city of Trondheim, a place with a rich historical heritage that is today regarded as Norway’s technology capital. Trondheim is home to major institutions such as Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) and SINTEF, making it a fitting location for a symposium dedicated to scientific and technological advancement.

The symposium venue, the Clarion Hotel Trondheim, provided excellent facilities, modern technical equipment, and the convenience of hosting all activities under one roof. The spacious meeting rooms and exhibition areas created an ideal environment for presentations, posters and networking.

Thanks to the dedication of the organising committee, the session chairs and especially the team from Andøya Space, the symposium ran exceptionally smoothly. Participants also enjoyed a memorable concert in Nidaros Cathedral, generously arranged by the City of Trondheim.

With more than 270 participants from 23 countries and over 150 presentations, the symposium once again demonstrated the strong international interest in sounding rocket, balloon and atmospheric research. Over the years, this symposium series has become one of the leading international forums for exchanging knowledge and experience in sounding rockets, scientific balloons, and ground-based scientific instrumentation, bringing together researchers, engineers, students and industry representatives from Europe, North America and Asia.

The organising committee is extremely pleased with the success of the week and the very positive feedback already received from participants. The Ice Breaker reception on the opening evening was well attended and provided an excellent opportunity for networking. Another highlight was the traditional Ranges Night, held at Trondheim’s Rock Museum, which combined great food, entertainment and informal discussions among colleagues and friends.

The opening ceremony set the tone for a successful week of scientific exchange, while an unexpected highlight was the opportunity to witness a live launch from Andøya during the symposium. To the best of our knowledge, this was the first time participants have been able to experience a launch while attending the symposium itself.

The Gala Dinner provided a fitting conclusion to the week, allowing participants to celebrate both the scientific achievements and the friendships that make this community unique. During the evening, the traditional handover of the EASP flags took place. The flag was passed to the Swedish delegation, who will assume the chairmanship and host the next symposium in Sweden.

We are grateful to all participants, presenters, exhibitors, sponsors, and especially the session chairs, whose efforts contributed significantly to the smooth running of the event.

We now look forward to the 28th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research, which will be held in Sweden in 2028. We hope to welcome many familiar and new faces there once again.

Chair of EASP, Pål Brekke

Symposium Overview
The 27th ESA Symposium on European Rocket and Balloon Programmes and Related Research is organised and sponsored by the European Space Agency (ESA) and Norway as the host country.

The local organiser is Andøya Space AS. The symposium programme will be defined by the Programme Committee, composed of the representatives of the five Member States of the Esrange Andøya Special Project (EASP) for the launching of sounding rockets and balloons, and ESA.

Purpose of the Symposium
This Symposium will be the 27th in a series of conferences initiated in 1973 by the Member States of EASP to provide a platform for scientists and engineers using sounding rockets and balloons in their research, and to advance progress in related scientific disciplines. The scope of the Symposium also includes related ground-based, aircraft and satellite research, new developments in technology, improvements of range facilities, and space education.

The Symposium participants are given the opportunity to report on their latest achievements and future plans in the various scientific and technical fields. It is a widely recognised occasion for efficient communication between scientists, engineers from industry, project managers and range personnel, and thus a good starting point for stronger collaboration.

The Symposium highlights new trends and latest developments in the use of sounding rockets and balloons for scientific research, facilitating the establishment of strategic roadmaps towards the future of the subject activities.

Participants are welcome to organise splinter meetings, as well as working group and roundtable discussions during the Symposium (please check with the organisers for room availability).

There will also be ample space for informal talks and socialising.

The Proceedings of the Symposium will be published in digital format and distributed to all participants approximately three months after the Symposium. Open access through the German National Library of Science and Technology (TIB) will also be provided.