Tag: Isar Aerospace
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Skyrora Eyes Orbex Assets Including Scottish Spaceport After Rival’s Financial Troubles
British rocket developer Skyrora said on Thursday it is considering acquiring selected assets from rival Orbex, including a planned spaceport in northern Scotland, after the smaller launch company disclosed financial difficulties. Skyrora, headquartered in Glasgow, said it intends to explore purchasing parts of Orbex’s business, notably the Sutherland Spaceport project on Scotland’s north coast, in…
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Isar Aerospace Expands Engine Test Facilities Ahead of Second Spectrum Launch
German launch company Isar Aerospace said it will expand its testing infrastructure at Sweden’s Esrange Space Center as it prepares for the second flight of its Spectrum rocket, currently expected no earlier than March 19. Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is developing the 28-meter-tall Spectrum launcher, designed to deliver up to 1,000 kilograms to low…
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Rocket Factory Augsburg Wins Two ESA-EU Launch Contracts Under Flight Ticket Initiative
German rocket manufacturer Rocket Factory Augsburg has been awarded launch service contracts for two missions under Europe’s Flight Ticket Initiative, strengthening its position in the continent’s emerging small-launch market, the European Space Agency said. The contracts, announced on Jan. 22, cover two missions comprising a total of three satellites and were awarded through the Flight…
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Isar Aerospace Eyes Second Spectrum Launch After Failed Debut
German launch services provider Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second flight of its two-stage Spectrum rocket, with maritime safety notices indicating launch opportunities between Jan. 21 and Jan. 23 from the Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. A Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) issued by Andøya Space shows 15-minute launch windows available between 21:05 and 21:20…
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Launch Preview: Launches from China, U.S., and Norway scheduled for upcoming week
Eight orbital launch attempts are scheduled for this week, with SpaceX and Chinese launches comprising a majority of the launch manifest. SpaceX is scheduled to launch two batches of Starlink satellites into the constellation’s Group 6 shell, as well as a batch of reconnaissance satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office. Four rockets will launch from…
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SEOPS Books Dedicated 2028 Mission on Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum Rocket
SEOPS, a Texas-based small-satellite launch aggregator, has signed a launch services agreement with Isar Aerospace for a dedicated mission on the company’s Spectrum rocket, scheduled for 2028, the companies said on Monday. The deal marks a shift for SEOPS, which has relied exclusively on SpaceX rideshare missions since the retirement of Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket.…
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Europe’s launch contenders revealed as Themis rolls toward reusability tests
The European Space Agency (ESA) is advancing on its ambitions for future space transportation. This week, the agency has shortlisted five companies in the first stage of its European Launcher Challenge, aimed at igniting competition as well as increasing the availability of launch services in Europe. Meanwhile, the agency’s restartable Prometheus engine has recently completed…
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The first flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket lasted just 40 seconds
The first flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket didn’t last long on Sunday. The booster’s nine engines switched off as the rocket cartwheeled upside-down and fell a short distance from its Arctic launch pad in Norway, punctuating the abbreviated test flight with a spectacular fiery crash into the sea. If officials at Isar Aerospace were…
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Isar Aerospace launches Spectrum, fails early in first stage flight
Isar Aerospace, based near Munich, Germany, made the first-ever launch attempt of its Spectrum two-stage rocket on Sunday, March 30, at 10:30 UTC from the Orbital Launch Pad at the Andøya Space Center in Norway. An earlier attempt on Monday, March 24, was scrubbed due to high winds, and a second attempt on Saturday, March…
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Rocket Report: Stoke is stoked; sovereignty is the buzzword in Europe
Welcome to Edition 7.37 of the Rocket Report! It’s been interesting to watch how quickly European officials have embraced ensuring they have a space launch capability independent of other countries. A few years ago, European government satellites regularly launched on Russian Soyuz rockets, and more recently on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets from the United States.…