Isar Aerospace Announces First Commercial Orbital Launch from Continental Europe
Isar Aerospace, a privately owned German launch provider, reported that on 5 September 2026 its uncrewed Spectrum rocket lifted off from the Arctic Andøya Spaceport in Norway. The launch made Spectrum the first commercial rocket to reach orbit from continental Europe. The vehicle carried five small satellites and an in‑flight technology experiment, targeting the market for small and medium‑sized payloads.
The flight marked Isar’s second launch attempt; the company’s first rocket fell into the sea and exploded shortly after take‑off from the same site 18 months earlier, with no injuries reported.
CEO and co‑founder Daniel Metzler told reporters that "launch capability is right now the biggest bottleneck in the entire industry" and confirmed that an initial public offering is not currently being considered.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz praised the achievement in a statement, calling it "the beginning of a new era," and noted his visit to the launch site in March. EU Defence and Space Commissioner Andrius Kubilius posted on X that Europe’s independent access to space had received a major boost.
Isar said it remains well‑funded and has five additional rockets in production. The company is targeting roughly 40 launches per year in the longer term. It is also developing a second launch site in Nova Scotia, eastern Canada, which it expects to be ready for operations by 2028.