A rocket launched from Western Europe has reached Earth’s orbit for the first time. The 28-meter Spectrum rocket lifted off from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway shortly after 8:00 p.m., reaching orbit in seven minutes. This success makes Isar Aerospace the first European company to complete a fully commercial orbital rocket launch.
Test history and strategic significance
The company attempted a launch last year, but the rocket fell back to Earth a minute after liftoff. An investigation revealed a faulty ventilation valve. For comparison, the Falcon 1 rocket from billionaire Elon Musk‘s SpaceX—the undisputed leader in the commercial launch market—only reached orbit on its fourth attempt. Isar Aerospace achieved this on its second try.
The Spectrum rocket is intended to expand European launch capabilities and help Europe reduce its reliance on the United States. Currently, the heavy-lift Ariane 6 and the lighter Vega C are available from European territory. While neither can compete with SpaceX on price, European clients, including the European Space Agency, often choose more expensive European rockets for political and strategic reasons.
Spectrum has roughly half the payload capacity of Vega C but is cheaper to launch. The rocket can carry about 1,000 kilograms of payload into low Earth orbit, so it is expected to be used primarily for launching small satellites.
Advantages of launching from Norway
Europe typically launches rockets from its spaceport in French Guiana. Its proximity to the equator provides rockets with an extra boost from the Earth’s rotation, allowing them to use less fuel during launch.
However, launching from Norway offers other benefits. It is more convenient for European satellite manufacturers, as they no longer need to transport their equipment to French Guiana. Instead, satellites can be launched closer to where they are produced.
During its maiden flight, Spectrum carried five CubeSats—small, relatively inexpensive, and popular cubic satellites. All five were successfully deployed into their target orbit.
«We have achieved in a few years what the European space industry previously needed decades to accomplish», said Isar Aerospace CEO Daniel Metzler after the launch. He added that Europe now has sovereign access to space. The company plans to ramp up rocket production to fulfill its initial orders.
Source: de Volkskrant
