Swedish Space has launched a Maxus sounding rocket from Esrange, Kiruna, on 29 April on a 25min sub-orbital flight carrying instruments for the European Space Agency. The flight was not totally successful, however, as a guidance system fault and a parachute malfunction caused extensive damage to the payload. The Maxus, based on a Thiokol Castor 40 first stage, made a 705km (440miles) altitude flight, exposing a 490kg (1,080lb) suite of instruments to 12.5min of microgravity.
Source: Flight International