Debut Flight of Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket Ends in Explosion

Orbital launch vehicle achieves liftoff but tumbles back to Earth after about 30 seconds in the air.

Jack Daleo

Monday, March 31, 2025 at 02:54 PM ET

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Jack Daleo

Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum orbital launch vehicle lifts off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway on Sunday. [Courtesy: Simon Fischer/Isar Aerospace]

Key Takeaways:

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum, the first commercially built rocket to launch from continental Europe, experienced a controlled splashdown shortly after liftoff during its debut test flight.
Despite the early termination, Isar Aerospace, supported by the European Space Agency (ESA), declared the mission a success, as its primary goal was to gather critical flight data for future development.
This test flight is a crucial step for European commercial space innovation, with Isar Aerospace planning subsequent missions to launch small satellites and enhance Europe's independent access to space.

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The first commercially built rocket to lift off from continental Europe came tumbling back to Earth within seconds. But its manufacturer considers the mission a success.

The test flight, “Going Full Spectrum,” was the debut launch of Norwegian company Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum, a two-stage orbital launch vehicle designed to compete with SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 and the Ariane family of rockets used by the European Space Agency (ESA). The launch was scrubbed several times due to unfavorable weather before taking off Sunday at 6:30 a.m. EDT.