An orbital rocket launched from a Norwegian spaceport on Sunday, marking the first-ever launch of its kind from European soil. However, the rocket, developed by the German start-up Isar Aerospace, crashed shortly after liftoff, just seconds into its maiden flight.
Despite the crash, Isar Aerospace, headquartered in Ottobrunn near Munich, called the test flight a success, citing valuable data gathered during the launch. The company emphasized that the primary goal of the flight was to collect data to support future missions.
Launch and Immediate Failure
The launch took place at 12:30 p.m. local time (10:30 GMT) from Andoya Spaceport in northern Norway. Shortly after liftoff, the Spectrum rocket successfully cleared the launch pad, but it was terminated at 30 seconds into flight. The rocket fell into the sea in a controlled manner, well before reaching orbit.
Isar Aerospace's CEO and co-founder, Daniel Metzler, expressed optimism despite the failure. "Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving great success," he said in a statement. "We demonstrated that we can not only design and build but also launch rockets." Metzler added that the company is positioning itself to meet the growing global demand for flexible satellite launch services.
Data and Future Prospects
The Spectrum rocket, which measures 28 meters in length and 2 meters in diameter, is designed to carry payloads of 700 to 1,000 kilograms into orbit. Though the maiden flight did not carry a payload, the company was able to gather significant data that will inform future missions.
The European Space Agency’s director-general, Josef Aschbacher, congratulated the team on the launch, noting on X that the company had "already obtained lots of data" and reaffirming that "rocket launch is hard" but offering encouragement to continue forward.
The Spectrum is aimed at providing services for small- and medium-sized satellites, with payload capacity up to one metric tonne. The mission's failure to reach orbit was not unexpected, as the flight was designed primarily to test the vehicle’s systems in an integrated test.
A New Era for European Space Launches
This flight also marked a milestone for European space exploration. The mission was the first commercial orbital flight to launch from a European mainland spaceport, excluding Russia. Prior to this, European nations had relied on Russian spaceports for launches, a relationship disrupted following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
While the mission did not reach orbit, Isar Aerospace’s success in launching the Spectrum rocket and collecting crucial data is seen as an important step toward reducing Europe's reliance on foreign launch providers and strengthening its space capabilities.