Europe's first commercial rocket successfully launched into orbit

German company Isar Aerospace successfully launched its Spectrum rocket from Norway. Spectrum became the first commercial rocket launched from continental Europe to successfully reach orbit.

Spectrum placed five small satellites and one experimental device into orbit. The rocket is designed to launch small and medium-sized satellites.

Isar Aerospace is already working on five new rockets and plans to conduct around 40 launches per year in the future. The company is also building a second space center in Nova Scotia, Canada, which will become operational from 2028.

This was the company's second attempt. Spectrum's first launch in 2025 ended in failure, as the rocket fell into the sea shortly after liftoff.

Europe is seeking to reduce its dependence on other countries for satellite launches. The European Space Agency has allocated approximately €200 million to Isar Aerospace for infrastructure development and new rocket development. The company does not currently plan to go public.

Source: Reuters