German Startup Isar Aerospace is on the verge of being the first private European company to launch an orbital rocket from Western Europe, making history in the process. With the recent completion of essential testing of its Spectrum rocket, the 2018-founded business is one step closer to its eagerly awaited maiden flight.

Engine Tests That Are Successful Open the Way

The first stage of the Spectrum rocket was tested by Isar Aerospace at Andøya Spaceport in Norway on February 14 for 30 seconds. The second stage was successfully test-fired last year. Isar Aerospace now views its launch vehicle as flight-ready after reaching these criteria.

“We are almost ready for the test flight. All we need is the license,” said Daniel Metzler, co-founder and CEO of Isar Aerospace. “By enabling space access from mainland Europe, we provide a critical resource for ensuring sovereignty and resilience.”

Regulatory Approval Awaiting

The final significant obstacle is regulatory approval from the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority, even if the hardware is ready for launch. Before setting a debut date, the company is awaiting final licensing, an Isar spokeswoman stated.

With a height of 92 feet (28 meters) and a diameter of more than 6 feet (2 meters), the Spectrum rocket is a disposable launcher that can carry payloads up to 1 metric ton (2,200 pounds) into low-Earth orbit. Using a combination of liquid oxygen and propane, it is propelled by one engine on the second stage and nine Aquila engines on the first.

A Powerful European Rival

Isar Aerospace, a prominent player in Europe’s commercial space industry, has its headquarters close to Munich. The company has raised more than 400 million euros ($420 million), mostly from NATO’s Innovation Fund and venture capital. Isar has strict control over quality and production schedules since, in contrast to many of its rivals, it designs and manufactures the majority of its rocket components internally.

“The flight will be the first integrated test of tens of thousands of components,” said Josef Fleischmann, co-founder and Chief Technical Officer. “Regardless of how far we get, this first test flight will generate valuable data for future missions.”

Participating in the Launcher Race in Europe

Other European competitors, such as Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), who lost ground following an engine test failure last year, have been overtaken by Isar Aerospace. Isar is still the leading private launch provider in Europe, even though RFA just got a launch license from the UK.

Through programs like the European Launcher Challenge, the European Space Agency (ESA) is aggressively promoting competition in the space launch sector. European satellite operators are increasingly using SpaceX for launch services as a result of the Vega rocket’s mishaps and the delayed Ariane 6 program. Isar Aerospace wants to close this gap by providing dependable and reasonably priced orbital access.

An Important Launch Approaches

Launching from Andøya Spaceport, the northernmost orbital launch location in the world, the Spectrum rocket’s first flight will aim for a polar orbit. The rocket will not be carrying any client payloads because it is a test flight.

If successful, this launch would usher in a new era of European private spaceflight, paving the way for the launch of commercial satellites and more advancements in the expanding space industry in the region.