A central governmental agency under the Ministry of Education and Research

The Swedish National Space Agency, SNSA, is a central governmental agency under the Ministry of Education and Research. SNSA is responsible for national and international activities relating to space and remote sensing, primarily research and development. 

SNSA has three main tasks:

• to distribute government grants for space research, technology development and remote sensing activities
• to initiate research and development in Space and Remote Sensing areas
• to act as Swedish contact for international co-operation

The Swedish space programme is carried out by means of extensive international cooperation, in particular through Sweden´s membership of the European Space Agency, ESA. SNSA's responsability for international activities includes the Swedish involvement in ESA as well as bilateral and multilateral cooperation for space missions.

. Most of the activities funded by the Swedish National Space Agency are carried out in cooperation with other countries.

SNSA was known as SNSB (Swedish National Space Board) until 2018.

Strategies

The Government has presented A strategy for Swedish space activities (2017/18:259), that now forms a platform for Sweden’s long-term work on space activities. The strategy includes an overall description of the areas the Government wishes to prioritise and the targets that exist for the respective
areas. From this the SNSA has written our own strategy to meet the national strategy. 

A strategy for Swedish space activities

The Strategy of the Swedish National Space Agency

The Swedish National Space Agency in numbers

• Directed grants from the Swedish Government (total 2021): SEK 1 158 152 thousand
• Budget directed grants:  
  • ESA SEK 850 705 thousand
  • Other international SEK 3 600 thousand
  • National SEK 174 182 thousand
  • Esrange* SEK 57 178 thousand
• Administration appropriation: SEK 41 384 thousand
   

*Esrange is the largest civilian space center in Europe. The facility has been operational since 1966 and is presently used by the international scientific community for launching sounding rockets for microgravity and atmospheric research as well as high altitude balloons for astronomy, atmospheric research and drop tests of space and aerial vehicles.