A Munich-based aerospace company is poised to make European space history with the first test flight of its Spectrum orbital launch vehicle from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport on Monday afternoon, according to AP News.
Isar Aerospace has announced a three-hour launch window between 12:30-15:30 local time (10:30-13:30 UTC) for its 28-metre (91-foot) Spectrum rocket, though the company notes the attempt remains subject to weather conditions and technical readiness. Should Monday’s attempt be postponed, backup opportunities exist throughout the week.
The two-stage Spectrum represents Europe’s growing private space sector, designed specifically to deploy small and medium satellites into orbit. While the company maintains realistic expectations for this maiden flight – considering a mere 30-second flight duration as successful – the test represents a crucial milestone in Europe’s push for independent, commercial launch capabilities.
The startup, which has secured over €400 million in funding, has ambitious plans to scale production to 40 rockets annually at its Munich-area manufacturing facility. The test flight marks the first step toward establishing regular commercial launches from European soil.
The Norwegian launch site offers polar orbit access – particularly valuable for Earth observation satellites. Industry analysts suggest this test could position Europe to better compete in the global small satellite launch market, currently dominated by American companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab.
Andøya Spaceport’s location above the Arctic Circle makes it particularly suitable for certain orbital trajectories.
