ANDØYA, Norway: Isar Aerospace Spectrum reached orbit Saturday after launching from Norway’s Arctic Andøya Spaceport with five small satellites and a technology experiment, the German company said.
Isar Aerospace announced the milestone on X, describing it as a first for commercial spaceflight from continental Europe. The Spectrum rocket is designed to carry small and medium-sized payloads.
Norwegian Industry and Trade Minister Cecilie Myrseth said the launch strengthened European access to space. She also linked the capability to Norway’s and Europe’s security interests. The mission marked Isar Aerospace’s second launch attempt.
LAUNCH! Isar Aerospace launches Spectrum on its second flight from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway.https://t.co/SkCfRCSmHF pic.twitter.com/c45uBKhtfY
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) September 5, 2026The mission marked Isar Aerospace’s second launch attempt. Its first Spectrum rocket crashed into the sea shortly after liftoff from Andøya in March 2025, although the company said that the flight provided useful development data.
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The latest mission targeted vehicle certification and the company’s first flight carrying payloads. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited Isar’s launch site in March as Europe sought greater independence in access to orbit.
Isar Aerospace recently received about USD 232 million from the European Space Agency to support the development of new rockets and expand testing and launch infrastructure.
The company is also developing a second launch site in Canada. Europe’s launch market also includes ArianeGroup.
While Sweden’s Esrange and the United Kingdom’s SaxaVord Spaceport are competing to offer additional European launch options.
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European leaders are due to meet in Paris on September 9 and 10 for a space summit focused on the continent’s long-term strategy amid competition from the United States and China.
