Europe's first commercial rocket launch boosts space ambitions
The first commercial rocket built in Europe was launched from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway. The Spectrum mission marks a groundbreaking step in the development of European space technology.
On Sunday, at 12:30 PM Eastern Time, the Spectrum rocket was launched from the Andøya Space Center in northern Norway. It is the first commercial rocket built in Europe to be launched from this spaceport. After 20 seconds of flight, the engines ceased operating, and the fuselage fell back to the ground as planned.
The mission aimed to gather data on the rocket's structural performance. Tina Schmitt from Isar Aerospace, the rocket's owner, emphasized that this project was the result of seven years of work. Spectrum is a two-stage design intended to launch research and commercial satellites into orbit. The rocket is approximately 28 metres in height and 2 metres in diameter, and its engines were largely produced using 3D printing technology.
Norway. First launch of a commercial rocket from Europe. This is not the end
The Andøya Space Center, located north of the Lofoten archipelago, had previously serviced only suborbital rockets. The "Going Full Spectrum" mission marks the first commercial launch of a rocket aimed at reaching Earth orbit. Łukasz Wilczyński from the European Space Foundation noted that Europe must develop its capacity in space technology and Andøya can facilitate access to orbit for smaller projects.
Isar Aerospace, a German company founded in 2018 in Munich, is the manufacturer of the Spectrum rocket. It employs 400 people and plans to launch various types of satellites into orbit, from communication to research satellites. The launch of the Spectrum rocket is an important step in the development of European space technologies and could contribute to increasing Europe's competitiveness in the space market.
