The Spectrum rocket developed by German startup Isar Aerospace is set to carry out its second test flight in March, after a technical issue that delayed an earlier launch from Norway was resolved, the company said on Friday, reported dpa.
The new launch window for the rocket, which will lift off from the Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway, opens on March 19.
Isar Aerospace said the technical problem that forced it to cancel a scheduled launch last week has now been fixed. The issue involved a pressure valve that did not function as expected.
"We were able to quickly address the valve issue, clearing the way for our launch preparations," said company chief executive and co-founder Daniel Metzler.
"Our goal with this mission is to demonstrate real progress, and to achieve that, we will once again push our systems to their limits. We are ready to proceed within the next available launch window."
Spectrum completed its first test flight in March 2025, but crashed after about 30 seconds. Aerospace experts note that many maiden flights end in failure, and Isar said it was able to collect valuable data from the attempt.
The Munich-based company had called off its second launch at short notice last week because of the valve malfunction.
The rocket is designed to carry small satellites into low Earth orbit. A successful mission would mark a major milestone for Europe’s space industry, potentially enabling satellites to be launched from the continent using European-built rockets.
Isar Aerospace, founded in 2018, is a European rival to Musk's SpaceX and Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.
Europe is currently lagging the United States, China and India in the space sector, amid delays in the development of the European Space Agency's Ariane 6 launcher.
- German company
- Rocket
- Norway
Source: www.dailyfinland.fi
