Spectrum rocket by Isar Aerospace during launch in Norway. Photo: YouTube Isar Aerospace
German startup Isar Aerospace carried out the long-awaited inaugural launch of its Spectrum rocket on Sunday (March 30), from the Andøya Space Center in Norway. However, the mission ended in failure approximately 18 seconds after liftoff.
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The flight, titled “Going Full Spectrum”, marked the first orbital launch attempt from continental Europe (excluding Russia and the British Isles). Liftoff occurred at 10:30 UTC, after two prior scrubs due to poor weather on March 24 and 29.
Just after clearing the pad, the rocket began its pitch-over maneuver but lost control and crashed to the ground, resulting in a large explosion.
Despite the failure, the Spectrum launch is a historic milestone not only for Isar Aerospace but also for the continental European space industry, which seeks to enhance its sovereignty in space access. The rocket was expected to follow a northwest trajectory over the Norwegian Sea, targeting retrograde orbits. This maiden flight, however, carried no commercial payloads.
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The Andøya Space Center, located above the Arctic Circle, is one of the northernmost launch sites in the world and may support up to 30 orbital launches per year.
Despite the initial failure, the flight is expected to provide Isar Aerospace with valuable data for future improvements. The company has already successfully conducted ground tests of the rocket’s stages and plans to resume launches soon.
Spectrum’s launch schedule is already booked through mid-2027, with clients such as Airbus, Japanese startup ElevationSpace, and the Norwegian Space Agency, which plans to launch two satellites for its Arctic surveillance program.
Video of Isar Aerospace Spectrum hitting the ground.
Video from @vgnett pic.twitter.com/lnCe90a17l — VSB – Space Coast West (@spacecoastwest) March 30, 2025
Source: Isar Aerospace / Andøya Space Center / US Launch Reports. This content was created with the help of AI and reviewed by the editorial team.
