Isar Aerospace achieves first launch to orbit from continental Europe
German company Isar Aerospace successfully launched its Spectrum rocket to orbit from Andøya Spaceport in Norway, marking Europe’s first commercial orbital launch by a private firm.
Isar Aerospace achieved the first orbital launch from continental Europe using its Spectrum rocket, lifting off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway at 21:12 BST/22:12 CEST. The two-stage vehicle, standing 28 meters tall with a diameter of 2 meters, is designed to carry payloads of up to 1,000 kilograms to low Earth orbit. The launch follows a brief 30-second test flight in 2025, which confirmed the rocket’s ability to clear the launch pad. This mission, named ‘Onward and Upward,’ included six commercial and educational CubeSats alongside an orbital technology demonstration experiment.
The flight was supported by ESA’s Boost! program and aligned with the European Launcher Challenge, which requires participants to achieve an orbital launch no later than 2027. Isar Aerospace was selected for the challenge in 2025 and signed a contract with ESA, making this launch a critical milestone. The company also won the first Microlauncher Competition organized by the German Space Agency at DLR, securing payload selection for this mission. Spectrum’s development received co-funding through ESA’s Boost! program, which assists commercial space transportation initiatives.
ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher described the launch as historic, emphasizing its role in advancing a more autonomous European launch sector. Géraldine Naja, ESA’s Director of Space Transportation, echoed these remarks, calling the achievement a significant step toward future European launches. The mission included educational components aimed at providing student experiences in orbit, reinforcing the broader impact of the launch beyond commercial objectives.
Isar Aerospace, founded eight years ago, has progressed from initial support through ESA’s Business Incubation Centre to securing multiple rounds of co-funding. The company’s Spectrum rocket is now the first European launch vehicle to reach orbit, fulfilling a key requirement of the European Launcher Challenge. This milestone underscores the growing capabilities of Europe’s private space sector and sets the stage for further developments in autonomous launch services.