German Spectrum rocket crashes shortly after launch
The Spectrum launch vehicle, developed by the private German company Isar Aerospace, crashed shortly after liftoff from the Andøya spaceport in Norway on March 30, 2025, Kazinform News Agency correspondent reports, citing NASA Spaceflight.
Earlier launch attempts on March 24 and 29 were canceled due to unfavorable weather conditions.
After a successful liftoff, Spectrum initiated an avoidance maneuver but lost control approximately 18 seconds into the flight and fell back to the ground. Isar Aerospace confirmed that the rocket was destroyed 30 seconds after launch and crashed into the sea near Andøya. Preliminary reports indicate that the launch pad infrastructure remained intact.
This mission, named "Going Full Spectrum," marked the first orbital launch attempt from Norway and continental Europe, excluding the British Isles and Russia. Despite the failure, Isar Aerospace emphasized the mission's value in gathering crucial data for future launches.
According to Isar Aerospace, the Spectrum rocket was intended to follow a northwestern trajectory over the Norwegian Sea, placing its payload into a retrograde orbit. However, no payloads were aboard for this test launch.
Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace developed the Spectrum rocket to serve the small and medium satellite market, positioning it as a solution for deploying satellite constellations. The company also emphasizes strengthening an independent European space program by conducting launches from mainland Europe.
Earlier, Kazinform News Agency reported on ESA’s strategy through 2040.
