North European Aerospace Test range

North European Aerospace Test range (NEAT) is Europe's largest overland test range for aerospace systems.

It is a co-operation [1] by the Swedish Space Corporation and Swedish Defence Materiel Administration.

Its aim is to provide facilities and services for safe aerospace testing in one of the few parts of Europe which has very low population and almost no air-traffic.

Physical attributes

NEAT consists of two ranges in northern Sweden, Esrange Space Center outside Kiruna and Vidsel Test Range, that are combined with a bridging area in-between the two ranges.

Size

The total size of NEAT is 24,000 km2, and the one-way length is 350 km.

Restricted airspace

NEAT has two permanently restricted airspace areas.

There is also four additional restricted airspace areas over the bridging area that are only used when needed.

  • Over the west part, GND/3500 MSL
  • Over the west part, 3500 MSL/FL200[notes 1]
  • Over the whole area, 3500 MSL/FL330 in the west part and FL200/FL330 in the east part.[notes 2]
  • Over the whole area, FL470/UNL

Restricted ground-space
  • Esrange Rocket Impact Area is 5,200 km2.

Suspended ground-space
  • Vidsel Test Range is 3,300 km2.

Notes
  1. A.k.a. "Tunnel in the sky"
  2. Overflying the town of Kiruna

References
  1. Press release Swedish Defence Material Administration and SSC in major joint investment in Vidsel Test Range, 2006-11-13

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