Isar Aerospace has become the first private European company to launch an orbital rocket from Western Europe. The test flight of the Spectrum rocket took place at Andøya Spaceport in Norway and lasted approximately 30 seconds. The rocket lifted off at 12:30 p.m. and then made a controlled plunge into the sea. Startup collected important flight data for future missions.
Daniel Metzler, CEO and co-founder of Isar Aerospace, explains:
"Our first test flight met all our expectations and was a great success. We had a clean launch, 30 seconds of flight time, and were even able to validate our Flight Termination System. We've proven that we can not only design and build rockets, but also launch them. I couldn't be prouder of our entire team, who have worked so hard over the past seven years to achieve this important milestone. Today, we laid the foundation to meet the growing global demand for flexible satellite launch services. Now it's time to analyze all the data, learn, improve, and get back on the launch pad as soon as possible."
Also Bülent Altan, Chairman of Isar Aerospace and former SpaceX executive, praised the team:
"This test flight met our expectations for a first launch with a completely new design in every respect. From my own experience, I know that it usually takes several attempts to reach orbit, but after today's test flight, I am very confident that Isar Aerospace will be among the fastest to achieve this. This test flight is a great success for Isar Aerospace and the wider space industry."
Isar Aerospace takes important step for European space travel
Isar Aerospace was founded as a spin-off from the Technical University of Munich (TUM). The startup received intensive support and already advertised over 400 million euros in capital The founders Daniel Metzler, Josef Fleischmann and Markus Brandl developed the first prototypes in the makerspace of UnternehmerTUM and went through the Xpreneurs-Incubator program.
The Spectrum rocket specifically transports small and medium-sized satellites. These play a key role in future technologies such as communications networks, autonomous driving, and digital agriculture. With a payload capacity of up to 1,000 kilograms, the company offers a flexible and cost-effective solution for satellite launches.
The success of the first test flight marks an important step forward for the European space industry. While larger European launch vehicles like Ariane are launching from French Guiana, the Munich-based startup is driving forward the development of an independent infrastructure in Europe.
“As a company with European roots, we are proud to have demonstrated that Europe has a lasting capacity for bold thinking and great achievements,”
so Metzler further.
As a next step, the company will analyze the collected flight data in detail. The next two rockets are already in production. With its site in Ottobrunn near Munich, the startup plans to produce up to 40 rockets per year in the future and meet the growing demand for satellite launches.
