Isar Aerospace achieves first launch to orbit from continental Europe

At 21:12 BST/22:12 CEST Isar Aerospace’s two-stage launch vehicle soared from the launch pad. Spectrum is 28 m tall, 2 m in diameter and, with its ten engines, it is targeting to launch payloads of up to 1000 kg to low Earth orbit.

“A historic launch from Andøya Spaceport in Norway today, the first European Launcher Challenger to reach orbit” said ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher, “Spectrum quite literally rose to the challenge and delivered its payloads in low Earth orbit. An astounding achievement by German company Isar Aerospace, founded only eight years ago, and backed by the European Space Agency. This is yet another step towards a more diverse autonomous European launch service sector, and I am excited for what is still to come!”

This launch follows the rocket’s first test flight, that flew for 30 seconds, clearing the launch pad and proved Spectrum can achieve one of the hardest parts of space transportation: liftoff.

Unlike the test flight in 2025, for this second Spectrum launch Isar Aerospace has included six commercial and educational CubeSats and an experiment that aims to prove new technologies in orbit as well as providing educational experiences for students in Europe.

The mission ‘Onward and Upward’ is supported by ESA’s Boost! program. Isar Aerospace also won the first Microlauncher Competition awarded by the German Space Agency at DLR, which resulted in the selection of the payloads on this flight.

Initially supported by ESA’s Business Incubation Centre, Isar Aerospace has received several rounds of co-funding as part of the European Space Agency’s Boost! programme that helps commercial initiatives offering space transportation services. Under Boost! contract, ESA supported the development of the Spectrum launch service, including this second Spectrum flight .

In 2025 Isar Aerospace was one of the launch service operators selected for the European Launcher Challenge, and their contract was signed recently. As a first important milestone, the European Launcher Challenge requires launch service providers to achieve an orbital launch no later than 2027. This flight has demonstrated the Spectrum launch system successfully, making Isar Aerospace the first provider to reach this milestone for the European Launcher Challenge.

“All launches are special, but what Isar Aerospace achieved today is historic: the first European company to reach orbit with their own launch vehicle” said Géraldine Naja, ESA’s Director of Space Transportation,  “a huge congratulation to the teams involved, who with this launch also complete the first milestone of ESA’s European Launcher Challenge, looking forward to seeing many more European launches, including from Andøya Spaceport in Norway in the near future.”