The inaugural launch of Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket on March 30th concluded with an unplanned descent back to Earth. Seconds after liftoff from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway, the vehicle lost attitude control, ultimately leading to a controlled fall into the planned impact zone near the launchpad. Despite the failure to reach orbit, Isar Aerospace declared the “Going Full Spectrum” test flight a success.
“It was a success because we met all of the objectives that we had for that flight,” argued Daniel Metzler, chief executive of Isar Aerospace. “We didn’t reach orbit but we learned a ton from it, and it sets us up very well for the second flight that’s ahead of us.” The company's executives highlighted the significant amount of flight data gathered during the brief flight.
Alexandre Dalloneau, vice president of mission and launch operations, emphasized the value of the data acquired: “With this test, we were able to gather a substantial amount of flight data to apply on our future missions. Even if I would say the end of the mission was spectacular, I would say — and I insist on that due to my previous experience — it was still a success.” The flight termination system successfully activated at T+30 seconds, ensuring a controlled descent. Metzler added, “We never expected that we would get to orbit” on this initial test flight, prioritizing data collection above all else.
The incident occurred during a crucial window for European space ambitions. The European Space Agency (ESA) recently launched the European Launcher Challenge, aiming to foster growth within the European launch vehicle sector. Josef Aschbacher, director general of ESA, commented on social media: “Success to get off the pad, and lots of data already obtained. I am sure @isaraerospace will learn a lot. Rocket launch is hard. Never give up, move forward with even more energy !”
Isar Aerospace, having raised over 400 million euros in funding, is forging ahead with production of its second Spectrum rocket. While the timeline for the next launch remains uncertain, pending data analysis, the company is optimistic about future missions.
The Spectrum rocket, a two-stage vehicle, is designed to carry payloads of up to 1,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit. Its first stage uses nine Aquila engines, fueled by liquid oxygen and liquid propane. This launch, despite its outcome, marks a significant step in Europe’s quest for independent space launch capabilities.