How many times have you heard about space launches from Cape Canaveral, Baikonur or China? Lots, I imagine.. But how many times have you witnessed an orbital launch from European soil? The answer is zero, because it never happened. At least until now. Tomorrow, March 24, 2025, could go down in the history books as the day continental Europe finally reached the stars with its own rocket, Spectrum.
La Isar Aerospace, a German company founded just 5 years ago, in 2018, is preparing to launch its Spectrum from the spaceport of Andøya, in Norway. It is not a simple suborbital test or the launch of a small sounding rocket: it is a real attempt to reach Earth's orbit with a rocket developed entirely in Europe and launched from European soil. A step that could revolutionize the aerospace panorama of the Old Continent.
Spectrum, an all-European rocket
The Spectrum rocket represents an ambitious bet for the European space industry. Standing 28 metres (about 95 feet) tall, it is strategically positioned among small launchers such as the Electron di Rocket lab (17 meters) and giants like the Falcon 9 di SpaceX (70 meters). This is no coincidence: Isar is targeting the growing market for launches of small and medium-sized satellites.
What strikes me most is that the entire rocket was developed internally by the German company over the last seven years. No imported components or technologies acquired from abroad: a completely European product, from design to manufacturing. The launch vehicle includes nine liquid oxygen/propane-fueled turbopump engines for the main booster, and a single multi-firing Eagle engine for insertions and orbital maneuvers once in space.
For this first test, Isar has chosen not to take on paying customer cargo, focusing instead on collecting as much data from the flight as possible. A prudent decision, considering that few rockets in history have reached orbit on the first try.
The Norwegian Spaceport
As mentioned, this historic launch will take place from the Andøya spaceport in Norway, a facility inaugurated in 2023. It is no coincidence that the ground infrastructure and initial facilities were built specifically to accommodate Isar and the Spectrum rocket.
The launch window for Spectrum’s first test flight opens no earlier than March 24.
It is curious to think that while the great space powers have built their launch centers in remote or tropical locations, Europe has chosen the extreme cold of the Arctic Circle. A choice that perfectly reflects European pragmatism: the sparsely populated areas of northern Norway offer ideal conditions for launches into polar orbit, particularly useful for Earth observation satellites.
Ready for commercial contracts
Even before the inaugural launch, Isar has already secured a contract for Spectrum's first commercial missions. The company announced on March 12 an agreement with theNorwegian Space Agency to launch the program's satellites Arctic Ocean Surveillance (AOS) by 2028.
Christian Hauglie Hanssen, general manager of theNorwegian Space Agency, stated in a press release from Isar:
“The launch of the AOS satellites from Andøya Spaceport will be a real milestone for Norwegian space activities. We look forward to a strong partnership with Isar Aerospace and to seeing ‘Spectrum’ in action.”
Spectrum rocket launch window to open Monday, March 24, between 13:30 PM and 16:30 PM Italian time (7:30 AM-10:30 AM EST), obviously provided that weather, safety and field infrastructure allow it. Europe is holding its breath: hoping that this new chapter in its space history begins with a success, because it could change the balance in the commercial space launch sector forever.
