Isar AerospaceThe Spectrum launch vehicle, 28 m long and 2 m in diameter, takes off from a base in NorwayIsar Aerospace
German company Isar Aerospace successfully carried out the first test flight of its Spectrum launch vehicle from Andøya, Norway, making it the first European commercial space company to launch an orbital rocket from continental Europe. The two-stage rocket, which has a capacity of one thousand kilograms (kg) and is 28 meters (m) long and 2 m in diameter, flew for approximately 30 seconds before falling into the sea in a controlled descent. “We laid the foundation to cater to the rising global demand for flexible satellite launch services,” said Daniel Metzler, CEO and cofounder of the company, which was created in Munich, Germany, in 2018. Production of the second and third Spectrum launch vehicles has already begun, with nearly all components designed, produced, and tested in-house by Isar, which says it can manufacture up to 40 rockets per year. The Norwegian Space Agency recently signed a contract with the company to launch satellites for its Arctic Ocean Surveillance program (Isar, March 30).
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