A European Startup's Bold Leap: The Launch and Crash of Its Spectrum Rocket

A New Era in Aerospace

OSLO, Norway — A private European aerospace company, Isar Aerospace, made headlines with the launch of its Spectrum rocket from Andøya, northern Norway. Although the rocket crashed into the sea just 30 seconds after liftoff, the company hailed the test flight as a success.

The 28-meter-long (92-foot-long) Spectrum is designed to place small and medium satellites into orbit. Launched at 12:30 p.m. (1030 GMT), the flight was terminated after 30 seconds, allowing the team to gather significant flight data and experience for future missions.

Daniel Metzler, Isar’s CEO and co-founder, expressed satisfaction with the outcome, stating, “This allowed the company to gather a substantial amount of flight data and experience to apply on future missions.”

Launch Challenges and Expectations

The launch faced various challenges, including weather conditions that had previously scrubbed attempts on March 24 and Saturday. Despite these setbacks, Metzler noted, “Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success.” The flight validated the company’s Flight Termination System, crucial for safety in future launches.

Josef Aschbacher, ESA Director General, praised the effort, emphasizing the difficulties of rocket launches and encouraging Isar Aerospace to learn from the experience.

Isar Aerospace operates independently from the European Space Agency (ESA), which has a long history of launching rockets from locations like French Guiana and Cape Canaveral in Florida.

The company aims to leverage the data collected during this flight to enhance its systems and prepare for future missions.