[SatNews] On March 18, 2015, REXUS 18 with four experiments aboard was launched from Esrange Space Center, located just outside the town of Kiruna in northern Sweden.

The launch of Rexus 18. Photo is courtesy of DRL.

REXUS 18 reached an altitude of 81.4 kilometers and landed after approximately 15 minutes of flight around 42 km north of Esrange Space Center. The experiments on board were to test new technical systems developed and built by students from universities across Europe. The REXUS/BEXUS program allows students from universities and higher education colleges to carry out scientific and technological experiments on research rockets and balloons. Each year, two rockets and two balloons are launched, carrying as many as 20 experiments designed and built by student teams.

The REXUS/BEXUS program is realized under a bilateral Agency Agreement between the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Swedish National Space Board (SNSB). The Swedish share of the payload has been made available to students from other European countries through a collaboration with the European Space Agency (ESA). 

EuroLaunch, a cooperation between the Esrange Space Center of SSC and the Mobile Rocket Base (MORABA) of DLR, is responsible for the campaign management and operations of the launch vehicles. Experts from DLR, SSC, ZARM and ESA provide technical support to the student teams throughout the project.