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Isar Aerospace's Spectrum Rocket Fails on First Test Flight

The privately funded European orbital launch vehicle crashed shortly after liftoff, marking a setback in the region's private space ambitions.

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Overview

  • The Spectrum rocket lost attitude control approximately 25 seconds after liftoff and crashed near the launch site, resulting in an explosion.
  • This launch was the first orbital rocket attempt from continental Europe, excluding Russia, and was funded almost entirely by the private sector.
  • The test flight, named 'Going Full Spectrum,' carried no payload and was not expected to reach orbit, according to Isar Aerospace executives.
  • The launch, delayed multiple times due to adverse weather, finally occurred on March 30, 2025, at Andøya Spaceport in Norway.
  • Despite the failure, Isar Aerospace emphasized the valuable data collected during the flight and confirmed that additional Spectrum rockets are already in production.