Germany’s Isar Aerospace has reached orbit with its Spectrum rocket, marking the first successful commercial mission to deliver satellites into orbit from continental Europe.
The uncrewed launch took place on Saturday 5 September from Isar’s dedicated complex at Andøya Space in northern Norway. The rocket lifted off at 10.12pm CEST, carrying five small satellites and an in-flight technology experiment.
The mission, named “Onward and Upward”, was the Bavarian company’s second launch attempt and served as a qualification flight for the Spectrum vehicle. Isar said the rocket completed stage separation, crossed the Kármán line and carried out its orbital manoeuvre before releasing its payloads.
Daniel Metzler, Isar Aerospace’s chief executive and co-founder, said the launch had created “a true alternative for commercial and institutional customers” in a market where access to space remained a major constraint.
The company said the payloads were selected through the German Space Agency’s microlauncher competition, supported by the European Space Agency’s Boost! programme. The satellites include missions from universities and start-ups seeking relatively low-cost access to orbit.
Europe’s satellite launch ambitions
The achievement is a significant step for Europe’s commercial space industry, as governments and businesses seek to reduce their reliance on overseas launch providers and establish more autonomous access to space.
Norwegian Industry and Commerce Minister Cecilie Myrseth said the ability to launch satellites from Andøya would strengthen Norwegian and European security at a time of geopolitical uncertainty.
Isar’s first Spectrum rocket crashed into the sea roughly 30 seconds after launching from Andøya in March 2025. No one was injured, and the company said the failed flight provided data used to improve the vehicle before Saturday’s mission.
The Bavarian firm is now producing Spectrum rockets three to seven and is nearing completion of a new 40,000-square-metre manufacturing facility near Munich. It said the site will eventually be capable of producing up to 40 launch vehicles a year.
Isar is also developing a second launch complex in Nova Scotia, Canada, while European launch infrastructure expands elsewhere, including at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center and Britain’s SaxaVord Spaceport in Shetland.
