Photo credit: www.esa.int

Successful Test Flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum Rocket Marks a New Era in Commercial Space Launches

On March 30, 2025, the European commercial rocket Spectrum, engineered by Isar Aerospace, successfully lifted off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. The flight lasted 30 seconds, showcasing the rocket’s ability to achieve liftoff, a critical milestone in space transportation.

About Spectrum

The Spectrum is a two-stage launch vehicle measuring 28 meters in height and 2 meters in diameter. Equipped with ten engines, it is designed to carry payloads weighing up to 1,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit. This initial flight serves as an essential step for Isar Aerospace engineers to gather data necessary for refining the rocket’s performance ahead of subsequent missions.

Reactions to the Test Flight

Daniel Metzler, the CEO of Isar Aerospace, expressed satisfaction with the test, stating, “Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight, and even validated our flight termination system.”

The Executive Director of the European Space Agency (ESA), Josef Aschbacher, praised the achievement, noting, “A test flight is exactly that: a test to gather data, learn and improve. Everything Isar Aerospace achieved today is remarkable, and they will have lots of data to analyze. I applaud the teams for getting this far, and I am confident that we will see the next Spectrum on the launch pad ready for test flight 2 liftoff soon.”

Toni-Tolker Nielsen, ESA’s Director for Space Transportation, added, “This test launch provides valuable data and is a crucial first step toward future milestones – to analyze, learn, and improve. I am sure Isar Aerospace will return stronger with another launch soon.”

Support and Future Plans

Isar Aerospace is rooted in Germany, operating out of advanced production facilities that emphasize in-house manufacturing capabilities. The company has benefitted from ESA’s Business Incubation Centre and has received three rounds of co-funding from ESA as part of the Boost! program. This initiative aims to support commercial ventures that provide transportation services to space, in space, and for return missions.

As the company looks ahead, ESA’s continued support will focus on preparing for the second test flight of the Spectrum rocket, along with scaling up production at its new headquarters in Vaterstetten, Germany.

Source
www.esa.int