Isar Aerospace completes static fires of Spectrum rocket ahead of first European launch

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Isar Aerospace has announced the completion of static fires on both stage one and stage two of its new Spectrum rocket. The company now says the only thing standing between them and a launch is approval and licensing from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

On February 14, 2025, nine of the company’s Aquila engines, already integrated into the launch vehicle, fired for 30 seconds. This comes after the qualification of the vehicle’s single second stage engine in the third quarter of 2024.

The company’s maiden launch will fly from its site at the Andøya Spaceport in Norway. Spectrum’s nine first stage engines and singular second stage engine use liquid oxygen and propane as propellant; a move that the company says produces cleaner propulsion that minimizes environmental impact.

The engines, designed and manufactured in-house, are high-pressure turbopump-fed and are capable of launching 1,000 kg of payload to low-Earth orbit (LEO) and 700 kg to Sun-synchronous orbit.

The primary payloads for the Spectrum launch vehicle are designed for small and medium satellites, according to Isar’s website, with a hope to become a primary way to launch satellite constellations, or groups of multiple satellites that operate together in orbit.

The whole vehicle measures 28 m long with a diameter of two meters. For reference, Rocket Lab’s Electron rocket is 1.2 m in diameter and stands 18 m tall.

Spectrum’s maiden launch will mark the first private launch of an orbital-class rocket from continental Europe. Currently, Arianespace, a European company, launches from French Guiana in South America. A previous attempt at an orbital launch from Europe two years ago failed when Virgin Orbit, whose Boeing 747 departed from Spaceport Cornwall to air launch an under-wing mounted LauncherOne rocket from the skies over the UK, failed to reach orbit. The company filed for bankruptcy shortly after.

Isar Aerospace CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Matzler acknowledged the significance of making European history: “By enabling space access from mainland Europe, we provide a critical resource for ensuring sovereignty and resilience.”

Andøya is one of a few newly emerging spaceports within Europe. Along with the previously mentioned Cornwall, SaxaVord Spaceport — formerly the Shetland Space Centre — in Scotland is preparing to host launches from Germany-based Rocket Factory Ausburg and UK-based Orbex.

The team has already completed all other pre-flight preparation milestones, including testing and accepting all in-house developed engines, the payload fairing, and the recently completed static fires.

Isar Aerospace CTO and Co-Founder Josef Fleischmann noted in a statement that a significant part of their ability to proceed quickly to a launch date is Isar’s in-house work.

“Owning the entire value chain of Spectrum gives us maximum flexibility and independence,” Fleischmann said. “We develop, build, and test almost the entire launch vehicle in-house, including our Aquila engines. The flight will be the first integrated test of tens of thousands of components.”

According to the company’s website, the Spectrum vehicle is made using carbon composites, and some of its most complex parts are made using 3D printing. Isar states that using high-performance metals in those printers allows for design flexibility and quicker part production times. Furthermore, the company noted that the use of process automation will lead to faster manufacturing with even higher precision and accuracy.

Spectrum first stage completes a static fire test ahead of maiden flight. (Credit: Isar Aerospace)

Moreover, the company aims to provide a smooth ride for all payloads. This includes another in-house developed system that doesn’t use pyrotechnics to separate rocket elements while in flight. Eliminating pyrotechnics from Spectrum means less jolting to payloads during in-flight events like stage separation and fairing separation.

Isar Aerospace, with its headquarters near Munich, Germany, was founded in 2018 with the goal of launching small and medium-sized satellites and on-orbit satellite constellations. The company offers dedicated flights to specified orbits and general rideshare missions where all payloads fly to the same pre-determined orbit.

According to Isar, they employ over 400 people from over 50 nations and have facilities in five different international locations. While hopeful for a successful launch, Isar’s co-founders know the uncertainties of launching a rocket for the first time: “Regardless of how far we get, this first test flight will hopefully generate an enormous amount of data and experience which we can apply to future missions,” Fleischmann said.

(Lead image: The first stage of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket completes a static fire test. Credit: Isar Aerospace)

The post Isar Aerospace completes static fires of Spectrum rocket ahead of first European launch appeared first on NASASpaceFlight.com.



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