Isar Aerospace's Spectrum reaches orbit, Astroscale signs second launch deal

September 12, 2026 at 04:34 AM1 min

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Germany's Isar Aerospace reached orbit for the first time with its Spectrum rocket, delivering CubeSats to low-Earth orbit from Norway. Astroscale signed a second launch contract with Isar days before the milestone, with a mission planned as soon as next year.

Key Facts

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket reached orbit for the first time on a mission from Andøya Spaceport in Norway.
Astroscale signed a second launch contract with Isar Aerospace days before the Spectrum milestone, with a mission planned as soon as next year.
The Spectrum rocket delivered a batch of CubeSats to low-Earth orbit.
Isar Aerospace's launch backlog includes government-backed missions from ESA, the EU, and the Norwegian and German governments.

Spectrum's First Orbital Success

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket reached orbit for the first time from Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. The launcher delivered a batch of CubeSats to low-Earth orbit. The success came after Isar's first test flight ended in failure last year. Nine propane-fueled engines power the Spectrum rocket off its launch pad.

Astroscale's Early Commitment

Astroscale executives in Japan watched the Norway launch webcast at 5 am local time. Astroscale announced a deal with Isar days earlier to launch a mission as soon as next year. This was the second launch contract Astroscale signed with Isar, following a March agreement for a different satellite. Astroscale signed both agreements before Isar achieved orbit.

European Launch Market Context

Isar's success is good news for Europe's space sector, which seeks new paths to orbit alongside Arianespace and Avio. Rocket Factory Augsburg and Spain's PLD Space are among European companies racing to catch up with Isar. The Exploration Company, based in Germany and France, is working on a heavy-lift-class rocket engine. Government-backed missions from ESA, the EU, and the Norwegian and German governments make up the bulk of Isar's launch backlog.