| Photo: Ajith Kumar Baskar, Project Manager for Space Sweden North, LTU Business. /Simon Vikström With experience from rocket and balloon launches, rocket engine testing and the development of orbital launch infrastructure at Esrange Space Center, Ajith Kumar Baskar, brings a hands-on industry perspective into his new role as Project Manager for Space Sweden North. An engineer by background, he has worked with both national and international customers, explored startup ideas of his own and spent the past eight years building his career within the space sector in Kiruna. Now, he is taking on a role that brings those experiences together: connecting industry, research, academia and the public sector to strengthen the space ecosystem in northern Sweden. For Ajith, one of the most important tasks ahead is clear. “One of the main goals is to find a sustainable way to keep the ecosystem engaged after the project ends in 2028,” he says. “It is a big challenge, but I am eager to find a solution.” Turning collaboration into long-term value Space Sweden North has brought together key actors in the northern Swedish space sector over many years. As Ajith takes over from Johanna Bergström Roos, he wants to build on that foundation while looking closely at how the collaboration can create long-term value beyond individual projects and funding periods. “My main goal is to identify a value chain from the existing collaboration between partners and create a sustainable way of collaborating without having to depend on public funding or grants.” He sees Space Sweden North as a facilitator, an organisation that can connect actors with different capabilities, needs and perspectives. |
| “Space Sweden North is a gateway for collaboration between industry, research institutes and academia. My role is to facilitate that collaboration as markets and opportunities change. |
| For him, this is also one of the strengths of working as a cluster. Companies, research institutions and public-sector organisations operate under different conditions and may not always be able to pursue new ideas or markets on their own. By bringing complementary strengths together, Ajith sees opportunities to explore solutions that would otherwise be difficult for an individual organisation to develop. The starting point is already strong. Many of the major actors within the space sector in northern Sweden are involved in Space Sweden North, and Ajith would like to expand those connections further through new national and international partnerships. Bringing an industry perspective into the cluster Ajith joins Space Sweden North with experience from one of the region’s most significant space environments. Before taking on his new role, he worked at SSC Space with rocket and balloon launches, rocket engine testing and the development of orbital launch infrastructure at Esrange Space Center. His background has given him a close view of an area he believes could have a major impact on the future of the regional space sector: orbital launch capability. “The area I am most keen on is the orbital launch capability that SSC Space is driving in Sweden. I believe this could give a significant boost to the existing space sector in the region.” During his years in Kiruna, Ajith has seen Sweden and the Nordic space sector preparing for a significant step towards small-satellite orbital launches. He also sees northern Sweden as an important part of a much larger European space landscape. Alongside his industry experience, Ajith has experimented with startup ideas over the past few years. That has given him another perspective on what it takes to turn technology and ideas into viable businesses and organisations, an experience he now brings into the cluster environment. A place where the space sector is close – literally One of the things Ajith sees as particularly valuable about Kiruna is the concentration of space expertise within a relatively small geographical area. “The uniqueness of working with the space sector in Kiruna is that industries, research institutes and the university are located within a radius of around 40 kilometres,” he says. “That creates the possibility to collaborate with experts across many different domains in the space sector.” It is an environment Ajith first encountered as a student at Luleå University of Technology. During his studies, he had opportunities to take part in research projects and engage with professionals from Esrange Space Center. When the opportunity later came to work at Esrange, the decision felt natural. “There are a lot of opportunities for work and research within the space sector here in northern Sweden, which I find to be a perfect place to build a career for myself.” |
| Unwinding after a day of rocket engine testing and Gas system work during the BEXUS 2025 campaign. From southern India to Kiruna Ajith’s connection to Kiruna, however, began with curiosity. Growing up in southern India meant a tropical climate with warmth, sunshine and rain throughout the year. Moving to the Arctic offered almost the exact opposite and that was part of the attraction. “I wanted to experience something I had never experienced before, and I found the Arctic exciting.” Sweden also appealed to him professionally. Europe’s focus on collaboration and research, together with major space initiatives and Sweden’s reputation for innovation, made northern Sweden an interesting place to study and eventually work. Eight years later, Ajith has embraced far more than the professional opportunities. Outside work, he enjoys the close connection to nature that life in Kiruna offers. “In Kiruna, I have the possibility to live with nature, skiing in the forest during winter and fishing during summer.” What started as a move from southern India to experience something completely different has gradually become both a career and a home. |
| Snowmobiling on Ädnamvaara outside Kiruna and Ski adventure towards Lapporten. Building on trust and shaping what comes next As Ajith steps into the project manager role, he is taking over an established network built through many years of collaboration. He sees that history as one of Space Sweden North’s most valuable assets. “Johanna and the team have created a decade-long partnership based on trust that goes beyond contractual agreements. I want to carry forward the collaboration and transform it into a self-sustaining ecosystem. That ambition sums up much of what Ajith wants to bring to the next phase: respect for what has already been built, combined with a strong focus on creating lasting value for the partners involved. For those who would like to meet Ajith and hear more about the work ahead, he will be at Space Innovation Forum in Kiruna on 23–24 September, together with actors from across the Nordic space ecosystem. ————– Want to connect with Ajith? You can reach him by email at ajith.kumar@ltubusiness or connect with him here on LinkedIn |