Isar Aerospace rocket reaches orbit from Norway, company says

Germany's Isar Aerospace said its 28-metre Spectrum rocket reached orbit after lifting off from Norway's Andoya spaceport on Saturday, calling it the first privately developed rocket to reach orbit from continental Europe.

The two-stage rocket blasted off shortly after 2000 GMT from the spaceport north of the Arctic Circle, the company said. Isar wrote on X: “We're in orbit!”

About 10 minutes into the mission, called “Onward and Upward”, the video transmission cut out after the rocket exceeded the maximum range for connection.

Germany's Ministry for Research, Technology and Space hailed the launch on X as a milestone for the country's spaceflight capabilities.

The launch followed months of delays over technical or safety issues and a March 2025 test flight in which a Spectrum rocket fell back to Earth and exploded.

Once ready for serial production, the Spectrum is intended to send civilian and military satellites into low Earth orbit. Isar says the rocket can carry about one tonne of payload and that its plant near Munich will be able to make more than 30 of the rockets a year.

The flight comes as European governments seek cheaper and more independent ways to launch satellites. France's Arianespace has long operated from French Guiana, while Germany is backing private space firms. German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has announced a 35 billion euro drive by 2030 to build space capacity.