German startup Isar Aerospace achieves first successful orbital launch from continental Europe
German space startup Isar Aerospace successfully launched a rocket into orbit from Norway on Saturday, marking the first commercial orbital launch from continental European soil. The milestone is seen as a key step toward European independence in space launch capability.
German startup Isar Aerospace successfully sent a 28-meter rocket into orbit on Saturday night from its launch complex in Norway, carrying five small satellites as payload. It was the first time a privately developed rocket reached orbit after launching from continental European territory.
The company announced the achievement on social media platform X under the mission name 'Onward and Upward,' noting it was only the company's second launch attempt. Isar's first attempt, in March last year, ended in failure when the rocket crashed into the sea shortly after liftoff.
Germany's Ministry for Research, Technology and Space called the launch a milestone demonstrating the country's innovative strength and technical expertise. European Space Agency Director General Josef Aschbacher described the successful launch as historic and another step toward a more diverse and autonomous European launch service sector.
Push for independence
Europe has long sought to reduce its reliance on non-European launch providers, including Elon Musk's SpaceX. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz visited the Norwegian launch site in March, warning that Europe had been dependent on other countries' supply chains for too long.
A two-day International Space Summit will take place in Paris on Wednesday and Thursday, bringing together delegations from more than 120 countries. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is set to deliver her first speech dedicated entirely to space policy, as the Commission prepares to unveil its European Space Shield, an action plan to protect the bloc's satellites. Meanwhile, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump has been discouraging American companies from attending the conference.
Isar Aerospace is among several European startups competing to enter the orbital launch market, alongside Spain's PLD Space and France's MaiaSpace. Paris-based Arianespace has long operated launches from France's overseas territory of French Guiana. Based near Munich, Isar plans to move toward serial production of its Spectrum rocket, targeting more than 30 units manufactured per year, and is developing a second launch site in Canada.
