German space company Isar Aerospace receives orders from EU clients
Munich (dpa) – German rocket launcher manufacturer Isar Aerospace on Wednesday said it has received important orders from the European Union and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The agreements include two missions for Dutch and French clients, planned “from 2026” at the Norwegian space port in Andøya.
The space company, which was founded just outside Munich in 2018, sees the orders as paving the way for future launches using its “Spectrum” launch vehicle.
Testing of the rocket has not yet been completed, with a first test flight in late March lasting just 30 seconds before crashing.
Dutch customer Isispace is a satellite manufacturer, while French company Infinite Orbits has developed a remote-controlled maintenance system for satellites in space.
After years of delays in the development of the ESA’s Ariane 6 rocket launcher, Europe has fallen far behind its rivals in the space sector in recent years and launched just four rockets in 2024, according to the German Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI).
By comparison, the United States sent 220 vehicles into space last year, with China sending 67, Russia 20 and India seven, BDLI figures showed.
This has left Europe dependent on Elon Musk, the owner of SpaceX and the social media platform X, who is seen as hostile toward the EU, to launch into orbit via his company. (27 August)
