Europe Reaches Orbit from Continental Soil

German company Isar Aerospace successfully launched its Spectrum rocket into low Earth orbit from Andøya Spaceport in Norway, marking a historic breakthrough for European space transportation.

Inside the Spectrum Launch Vehicle

Standing 28 metres tall with a two-metre diameter, the two-stage Spectrum rocket uses ten engines. It is designed to carry payloads weighing up to 1,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit.

Building on Initial Flight Tests

This breakthrough follows an earlier test flight in 2025 that flew for 30 seconds. That flight proved liftoff capability and cleared the pad, paving the way for orbital success.

Preparing the 'Onward and Upward' Mission

Named 'Onward and Upward', this launch was supported by ESA’s Boost! programme. Isar Aerospace developed the launcher following its founding just eight years ago in Germany.

Satellites and Orbital Experiments

Unlike the initial test flight, Spectrum carried six commercial and educational CubeSats plus an orbital experiment, delivering valuable practical experiences for European university students.

Flawless Flight from Norway

Soaring from Andøya Spaceport at 22:12 CEST, the two-stage vehicle delivered all payloads into low Earth orbit, proving the performance of its ten engines under real mission conditions.

Meeting the European Launcher Challenge

By reaching orbit, Isar Aerospace became the first provider to achieve a key milestone under ESA's European Launcher Challenge, fulfilling requirements targeted for 2027 early.

Expanding European Space Autonomy

Reaching orbit from continental Europe strengthens sovereign launch capabilities. With successful orbital operations demonstrated, further commercial missions from Andøya Spaceport will soon follow.