German company successfully launches rocket into orbit

“We’re in orbit!” Isar Aerospace declared after its Spectrum rocket lifted off from the Norwegian spaceport at Andøya. The German company said the launch made European history because it marked the first time a privately developed rocket had reached orbit from continental Europe.

The achievement came on Spectrum’s second launch attempt. The first, 18 months earlier, had failed. This time, the rocket carried five small satellites and an in-flight technology experiment as part of both its qualification mission and its first payload-carrying flight.

Germany’s Ministry for Research, Technology and Space praised the launch as a milestone that demonstrated the country’s innovative strength and technical expertise. The mission could bring Europe closer to offering satellite launches from its own territory, an area that has attracted interest from countries including Britain and Sweden.

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We’re in orbit! And just made European history: This is the first time a privately developed rocket reached orbit from continental Europe.

Isar, a Bavaria-based company, is developing a second launch site in Canada. It says the United States launched 198 rockets last year, compared with eight in Europe, and has set a goal of producing about 40 rockets annually. The Spectrum rocket is designed to carry civilian and military satellites into low Earth orbit.

The company has already received orders through 2028, although the rocket is not yet ready for mass production. Isar competes with companies including SpaceX and ArianeGroup. It said last week that the European Space Agency had provided €200 million, or $232 million, to develop new rockets and expand testing and launch infrastructure.

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Germany has spaceflight capabilities