Kiruna Municipality, Sweden
Located around 200 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle, Kiruna is Sweden’s northernmost municipality, as well as the country’s largest by area. The region’s diverse terrain includes forests, marshes, lakes, and Sweden’s highest mountain, Kebnekaise, providing ideal locations for a wide range of outdoor activities.
The area is also home to the Kiruna Ground Station, which hosts ground segment infrastructure of both Copernicus and Galileo.
This image, acquired by one of the Copernicus Sentinel-2 satellites on 15 September 2024, shows Kiruna Ground Station in the centre, surrounded by the Vittangiälven and Torne rivers on either side. To the west, the Sautusjärvi lake and the village of Jukkasjärvi are visible.
The Copernicus Ground Segment is essential for receiving Copernicus Sentinel satellite data, monitoring satellite health, and ensuring accurate data transmission and processing. It plays a key role in calibration, validation, and communication with the satellites.
