Swiss Space Systems

{{Infobox company

| name = Swiss Space Systems Holding SA

| logo = Swiss Space Systems.png

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| foundation = 2012

| founder = Pascal Jaussi

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| location_city = Payerne

| location_country = Switzerland

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| key_people = Pascal Jaussi (CEO)
Claude Nicollier (Chairman)

| industry = Aerospace

| products = Satellite launch/Space tourism

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| homepage = {{URL | 1=https://web.archive.org/web/20130501004004/http://www.s-3.ch/en/home | 2=http://www.s-3.ch/en/home }} (Archived)

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Swiss Space Systems (S3) was a company that planned to provide orbital launches of small satellites and crewed sub-orbital spaceflights.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thelocal.ch/20161216/swiss-space-firm-declared-bankrupt|title=Swiss space firm declared bankrupt|date=2016-12-16|access-date=2017-08-29|language=en}} The company was based in Payerne in western Switzerland, near Payerne Air Base, where it planned to build a spaceport in 2015. Suborbital spaceplanes were to be launched from an Airbus A300, giving the spacecraft more initial speed and altitude than if it were launched from the ground. The spacecraft, in turn, would release a disposable third stage.{{Cite web |last=Coxworth |first=Ben |url=http://www.gizmag.com/swiss-space-systems-a300-shuttle-satellites/26679/ |title=Swiss company aims to fly satellites into space |work=Gizmag |date=15 March 2013}}

{{As of|2013|03}}, the company planned to charge CHF 10 million (US$10.5 million) per launch, using uncrewed suborbital spaceplanes that could carry satellites weighing up to {{Convert|250|kg}}. Costs were expected to be reduced by the reusable nature of the spaceplane and launch facilities, and by lower fuel consumption than conventional systems.{{Cite web |last=Messier |first=Doug |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/03/13/swiss-space-systems-announces-smallsat-launch-system/ |title=Swiss Space Systems Announces Smallsat Launch System |publisher=Parabolic Arc |date=13 March 2013 |access-date=25 July 2013 |archive-date=5 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161005132727/http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/03/13/swiss-space-systems-announces-smallsat-launch-system/ |url-status=dead }}

In 2013, S3 also hoped to develop a crewed version of its suborbital spaceplane to provide supersonic intercontinental flights to paying customers. According to CEO Pascal Jaussi: "Far from wishing to launch into the space tourism market, we want rather to establish a new mode of air travel based on our satellite launch model that will allow spaceports on different continents to be reached in an hour."{{Cite web |last=Messier |first=Doug |url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2013/06/17/swiss-space-systems-announces-plans-for-crewed-suborbital-spacecraft/ |title=Swiss Space Systems Announces Plans for Crewed Suborbital Spacecraft |publisher=Parabolic Arc |date=17 June 2013}}

{{As of|2013|03}}, project partners included the European Space Agency, Dassault Aviation and the von Karman Institute for Fluid Dynamics.Dessibourg, Olivier (14 March 2013). "Payerne, rampe d'accès à l'espace". Le Temps.

According to Swiss public broadcasting, Swiss Space Systems became heavily indebted.{{Cite web|url=http://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/die-vielen-schulden-des-pascal-jaussi |title=Die vielen Schulden des Pascal Jaussi - News - SRF |language=de |publisher=Srf.ch |date= 14 September 2016|access-date=2016-10-25}} In 2016, Swiss Space Systems asked to delay bankruptcy procedures as new funds from Singapore bank Axios Credit were expected. However, news tabloid Blick reported that Singapore authorities declared that Axios is not a licensed bank.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/schweizer-weltraum-unternehmen-s3-jaussis-bank-gibts-gar-nicht-id5502566.html |title=Schweizer Weltraum-Unternehmen S3: Jaussis Bank gibts gar nicht! - Blick |language=de |publisher=Blick.ch |date= 17 September 2016|access-date=2016-10-25}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/westschweiz/erstes-statement-nach-brand-anschlag-jaussi-bittet-um-konkurs-gnadenfrist-id5476832.html |title=Pascal Jaussi bittet nach Brandanschlag um Konkurs-Gnadenfrist - Blick |language=de |publisher=Blick.ch |date=2016-09-14 |access-date=2016-10-25}} On 14 December 2016, Swiss Space Systems was declared bankrupt in the civil court of Broye and North Vaud.{{Cite news|url=http://www.20min.ch/finance/news/story/12883608|title=Swiss Space in Konkurs geschickt|newspaper=20 Minuten|access-date=2016-12-16}}

History

S3 was founded in 2012 by Pascal Jaussi, a pilot and engineer, and joined by astronaut Claude Nicollier. The inauguration was held on 13 March 2013 at Payerne Airport. Initial plans called for the company to open its first spaceport by 2015 and begin test launches by 2015 (Airbus) and 2017 (shuttle).{{Cite web|last=Brusa|first=Nicola|url=http://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/wissen/technik/Spedition-ins-Weltall/story/17017858|title=Spedition ins Weltall|work=Tages-Anzeiger|date=10 June 2014|language=German}} More spaceports were planned for Malaysia, Morocco and North America.

S3 Suborbital spaceplane

2013 plans called for S3 to develop a suborbital spaceplane named SOAR that would launch a microsat launch vehicle capable of putting a payload of up to {{Convert|250|kg}} into low Earth orbit. {{As of|2013|10}}, "S3 hopes to achieve horizontal launch with its small satellite deployment system by 2018".{{Update after|2014|06|11}} In July 2014, S3 announced a partnership with North Bay, Ontario, Canada and Canadore College to start drop-test flights of a scale version of the SOAR spaceplane at Jack Garland Airport (CYYB).{{Cite news |url= http://www.space-travel.com/reports/Swiss_Space_Systems_plan_mock_up_test_flights_of_SOAR_999.html |title= Swiss Space Systems plan mock-up test flights of SOAR |date= 1 July 2014 |publisher= SpaceDaily}}

In addition to crewed sub-orbital spaceflights, SOAR would also enable high-speed commercial flights (over Mach 3), allowing, for instance, passengers to reach Sydney from Geneva in only a few hours.{{Cite news |last=Aebi |first=Christian |title=Leur rêve: relier Genève à Sydney en deux heures de vol |url=http://www.tdg.ch/economie/Leur-reve-relier-Geneve-a-Sydney-en-deux-heures-de-vol-/story/24488870 |language=French |newspaper=Tribune de Genève|date=18 June 2013 |access-date=2 November 2014}}

= Future launch projections =

The first launch was scheduled for 2018, with CleanSpace One as payload.{{Cite press release|url=http://actu.epfl.ch/news/orbital-cleanup-satellite-to-be-launched-in-partne/|title=Orbital Cleanup Satellite to be Launched in Partnership with S3|publisher=EPFL|first1=Lionel|last1=Pousaz|date=10 September 2013|access-date=7 August 2015}}

S3 Spaceport

In October 2013, Swiss Space Systems signed a memorandum of understanding with Spaceport Colorado in the US to allow the spaceport to be a Swiss Space Systems' potential future North American launch site.{{Cite news |last=Painter|first=Kristen Leigh |title=Spaceport Colorado lands agreement with Swiss space company |url=http://www.denverpost.com/business/ci_24261021/spaceport-colorado-lands-agreement-swiss-space-company |access-date=21 October 2013 |newspaper=Denver Post |date=8 October 2013}} In March 2014, a subsidiary was opened at the Kennedy Space Center to allow Swiss Space Systems to use the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) for its operations.

Gran Canaria (Canary Islands, Spain) was to be the first European operations center as S3 planned to launch satellites from there in 2018.{{Cite press release|url=http://www.s-3.ch/en/home/2013/12/12/swiss-space-systems-s3-develops-its-activities-in-spain-and-strengthens-its-network-of-spanish-partners|title=Swiss Space Systems S3 develops its activities in Spain and strengthens its network of Spanish partners|publisher=Swiss Space Systems|place=Gran Canary|access-date=7 August 2015}}

S3 Zero G

File:Hi Fly Malta (Swiss Space Systems) Airbus A340-313 9H-TQM at JFK Airport.jpg planned for operation by Hi Fly Malta, painted in S3 livery]]

S3 ZeroG was a part of Swiss Space Systems Holding SA, which offered flights in reduced gravity aircraft, a modified Airbus A300.{{Cite web|url=http://spacecoastdaily.com/2014/03/swiss-space-systems-inaugurates-subsidiary-at-ksc/|title=Swiss Space Systems Inaugurates Subsidiary At KSC|publisher=Space Coast Daily|date=16 March 2013|access-date=7 August 2015}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.zerog.s-3.ch/#about|title=About|publisher=S3 ZeroG|access-date=7 August 2015}} Each flight included 15 parabolas during which the aircraft dives at a {{Formatnum:45}}° angle from {{Convert|34000|to|24000|ft|m|order=flip|abbr=on}}, giving 20–25 seconds of microgravity on board.{{Cite web|url=http://www.thenational.ae/uae/transport/zero-g-flights-offer-that-floating-sensation|title=Zero-G flights offer that floating sensation|publisher=The National|date=17 August 2015|access-date=7 August 2015}} S3 ZeroG aircraft were scheduled to travel to different countries around the world, starting in Switzerland during the second half of 2015.{{Cite web|url=http://www.parabolicarc.com/2014/11/25/s3-gravity-flights-switzerland/|title=S3 to Begin Zero Gravity Flights in Switzerland|publisher=Parabolic Arc|first1=Doug|last1=Messier|place=Payerne|date=25 November 2015|access-date=7 August 2015}} At the end of 2016, the company announced the first parabolic flights in January 2017; however, according to astronaut Claude Nicollier, President of the Committee of Experts of Swiss Space Systems, "It is absolutely impossible, it needs an official authorization and it will take months, if not years".[http://www.srf.ch/news/schweiz/die-vielen-schulden-des-pascal-jaussi Die vielen Schulden des Pascal Jaussi, SRF, September 14, 2016]

CEO attacked

Swiss newspapers reported the company to be heavily indebted. In 2015 and 2016, bailiffs collected between 3 and 4 million Swiss francs. The company's creditworthiness was deemed low.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/feuer-angriff-auf-weltraum-pionier-jaussi-es-geht-um-drohungen-missgunst-und-sehr-viel-geld-id5460779.html |title=Feuer-Angriff auf Pascal Jaussi: Tatmotiv wirft viele Fragen auf - Blick |language=de |publisher=Blick.ch |date=2016-09-14 |access-date=2016-10-25}}

On August 26, 2016, Pascal Jaussi was abducted by unknown assailants, beaten, showered with a flammable liquid, and badly burned.{{Cite web|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/westschweiz/pascal-jaussi-40-ueberlebt-schwer-verletzt-auftragskiller-zuenden-schweizer-weltraum-pionier-an-id5456538.html |title=Pascal Jaussi: Der Weltraum-Pionier wird von 2 Unbekannten angezündet! - Blick |language=de |publisher=Blick.ch |date=2016-09-14 |access-date=2016-10-25}} In January 2017, it was reported that Jaussi might have staged the attack to save his bankrupt company.{{Cite news|url=http://www.blick.ch/news/schweiz/ermittlungen-gegen-swiss-space-systems-gruender-jaussi-brandanschlag-gegen-sich-selbst-vorgetaeuscht-id6109022.html|title=Ermittlungen gegen Swiss-Space-Systems-Gründer Jaussi: Brandanschlag gegen sich selbst vorgetäuscht? - Blick| author=Staff | publisher=Blick.ch | access-date=2017-02-07|language=de}}