German company makes space history

Germany’s private space company Isar Aerospace has made history by successfully sending its Spectrum rocket into orbit from European soil.

The rocket was launched from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway and successfully reached orbit marking the first successful orbital flight of a privately developed rocket from mainland Europe. Isar Aerospace announced the achievement on X, calling it a historic moment for Europe’s growing private space industry.

Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research Technology and Space also praised the success saying it showed that Germany has the ability to carry out space launches.

The ministry said the achievement reflects the country’s growing technology innovation and space capabilities.

This was the second launch attempt for the Spectrum rocket. The company’s first attempt around 18 months earlier ended unsuccessfully.

The successful launch is an important milestone for Germany’s private space sector and could help open the door to more commercial rocket launches from Europe in the future.