“You can call my job a paid hobby”
Ann-Christin” Anki” Grenevall has worked for SSC – Swedish Space Corporation, for 12 years, mainly with visits at Esrange Space Center. Over the years, she has welcomed and guided many people, like school classes, business leaders, authorities and even royalties.
Space awakes interest among people. Anki Grenevall takes care of about 3,000 visits per year. Some people find their way to the Visitor Center at Esrange – an exhibition at the gate of Esrange, open every day all year round.
What made you apply to SSC?
I was offered to start working for SSC, specifically developing activities for visitors, which included the Visitor Center. How do you attract visitors who cannot come inside the space center? The answer was to create a cozy and welcoming Visitor Center that speaks for itself. Space is easier to understand than you might think.
How does the Visitor Center work?
It is located near to the guard at SSC and is open every day of the year between 08:00 to 18:00. You don’t need to make an appointment, you can just walk in. We also have a corner for the youngest visitors who can keep themselves busy while the rest of the company enjoy the exhibition. Afterwards, you can have a cup of coffee and cake, which we offer the visitors.
What is the best thing about SSC?
Space is always fascinating and of great benefit to mankind. We can learn a lot from Space. A good start is to visit our website rymdkollen.se and look around. Now I look forward to the development of Esrange and meeting many new colleagues with fresh ideas. We are also further developing the activities for the people visiting the center, and plan for more outreach activities. The interest in space has grown in the recent years, which we can see in the increased numbers of visitors.
Do you see a continued future in the company and the space sector?
I will continue to work until retirement. You can call my job a paid hobby. Few are as lucky as I am, being able to say that, but that’s how it is for me. I don’t think I ever had a dull day at work.
What do you think about living in Kiruna?
We, the proud Kiruna residents usually say; in Kiruna, the light is brighter, the cold is colder, the peaks are higher, the space is larger, and the location is more northerly than anywhere in Sweden. It is a special place. Kiruna is really the city of extremes, from the depths of the underground (the mine) and all the way to space. The span is huge; from 1.5 km underground to over 800 km up in Space!
I love my city in transformation. I get to be part of something historic. The old Kiruna center is returning to nature while a new, fresh center is being built with many shops and new homes.
