Tag: Isar Aerospace
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Isar Aerospace Makes History With First Orbital Launch From Western Europe
Isar Aerospace became the first company to launch a rocket into orbit from Western European soil on September 5, 2026, when its Spectrum vehicle lifted off from Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway and successfully deployed five CubeSats. The milestone came on only the German company’s second flight, following a failed debut in March 2025 and…
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Isar Aerospace to Launch Astroscale’s ADRAS-J2 Mission to Capture and Remove Three-Ton Space Debris
Astroscale Japan has selected Isar Aerospace to launch ADRAS-J2, a robotic spacecraft designed to capture and deorbit a three-ton abandoned rocket stage. The mission is intended to become the first to remove an existing large piece of orbital debris that was not designed for servicing or retrieval. The companies announced the launch agreement on September…
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ESA Signs European Launcher Challenge Contracts With Isar Aerospace, RFA and PLD Space
The European Space Agency has signed the first contracts under its European Launcher Challenge, committing a combined €543.6 million to three emerging European launch providers: Germany’s Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), and Spain’s PLD Space. The agreements, signed Aug. 27, mark the transition of the initiative from a competitive selection process into funded development…
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ESA and European Commission Expand Flight Ticket Initiative for European Launchers
The European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Commission (EC) have launched a new call for proposals under the European Flight Ticket Initiative, expanding opportunities for European launch providers to compete for institutional launch contracts. The two-part call invites European launcher developers to apply for framework contracts while also opening competition for the fifth batch…
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Japanese Reentry Startup ElevationSpace Raises $40 Million Series B to Expand Global Operations
Japanese space technology startup ElevationSpace has raised $40 million in a Series B funding round, bringing its total funding to approximately $63.5 million as the company advances its satellite reentry and space transportation technologies. The latest round included participation from existing investors SPARX Asset Management and Beyond Next Ventures, alongside several corporate investors, including automotive…
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Isar Aerospace scrubs second launch of Spectrum rocket after weeks of delays
The European private space launch provider Isar Aerospace, headquartered in Ottobrunn, Germany, is set to fly its Spectrum small-satellite launcher on its second mission after weeks of delays and aborted launch attempts. Over a year after Spectrum’s first flight failed, the company is to fly the “Onward and Upward” mission from the Orbital Launch Pad…
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Isar Aerospace Raises €270 Million to Scale Spectrum Rocket Production and Expand Global Launch Network
German launch services company Isar Aerospace has secured a €270 million Series D funding round to accelerate global expansion, increase production of its Spectrum launch vehicle and strengthen sovereign space capabilities for Europe, NATO members and allied nations. The company said the new capital will support the worldwide scaling of its operations and the ramp-up…
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Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket Explodes on Debut Launch
What happened to Isar Aerospace’s first Spectrum rocket launch? Isar Aerospace’s inaugural Spectrum rocket launch ended in catastrophic failure on May 4, 2026, when the vehicle exploded shortly after liftoff from its European test site. The German startup’s debut orbital attempt lasted less than 60 seconds before the 28-meter tall rocket broke apart in a…
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Launch Preview: Russia to debut Soyuz-5; Falcon 9 and Atlas V to launch internet satellites
The United States, Russia, China, New Zealand, and Norway are all set to host launches during another busy week of spaceflight. SpaceX is set to launch three missions from its Florida and California launch facilities, while the United Launch Alliance is scheduled to launch Amazon Leo satellites on its Atlas V rocket toward the end…
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Launch Preview: Falcon 9, Spectrum, Electron to launch during busy week of launches
Another busy launch manifest is scheduled for this week, with nine launches expected from various providers and launch sites around the world. As usual, SpaceX is expected to dominate the week with five missions, all of which are Starlink missions. Internationally, Rocket Lab is set to launch an Earth observation satellite on Electron from New…