German Startup's Spectrum Rocket Becomes First Commercial Vehicle to Reach Orbit from Europe

Isar Aerospace's uncrewed Spectrum rocket reached orbit on September 5, 2026, launched from Andøya Spaceport in Arctic Norway carrying five small satellites. The Munich-based startup's first test flight in March 2025 lasted roughly 30 seconds before crashing. Chancellor Friedrich Merz called the success "the beginning of a new era" for European space access.