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History for European spaceflight: Isar Aerospace reaches orbit and deploys payloads on second flight

C Isar Aerospace Flight 2

 5 September 2026

Isar Aerospace became the first commercial space company from Europe to successfully deliver satellites into orbit, on what was only its second flight. Mission ‘Onward and Upward’ lifted off from Isar Aerospace’s dedicated launch complex at Andøya Space in Norway at 10:12 pm CEST, deploying payloads in orbit. “Today, Isar Aerospace opened space from Continental Europe. Launch continues to be the largest bottleneck for the global space industry and from today on, there is a true alternative for commercial and institutional customers”, said Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-Founder of Isar Aerospace. Isar Aerospace is working with the customers to confirm the satellite status.

Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-Founder of Isar Aerospace, said: “We achieved within a few years what had taken the European space industry decades before. Europe now has sovereign access to space.  We have entered into a new chapter for European spaceflight. I am incredibly proud of our team, that has made this success story from Europe possible. We will now focus on rapidly scaling launch vehicle production, deliver on our order pipeline, and meet surging global demand.”

Isar Aerospace’s qualification flight broke several records in European commercial spaceflight: The vehicle successfully transited MaxQ, completed MECO and stage separation, and then ignited second stage as planned. It crossed the Kármán line at an altitude of 100 kilometers and jettisoned the payload fairing before reaching orbital velocity. After completing circularization burn, spacecraft separation was completed successfully.

The mission’s payloads were selected through the Microlauncher Competition of the German Space Agency at DLR that provides educational institutions and start-ups with low-cost access to space. The Microlauncher Competition is funded through ESA Boost!

Today’s mission ‘Onward and Upward’ proved Isar Aerospace’s orbital launch capability. In parallel, the company has advanced its global network of available launch sites and is nearing completion of Europe’s largest integrated production facility for launch vehicles. In addition to its current launch site in  Andøya, Norway, Isar Aerospace is constructing a launch complex in Nova Scotia, Canada, covering mid- to high-inclination orbits critical for Earth observation and communications.

A historic turning point for Europe 

Today marks a new era for the global space industry. The launch is not only a technical masterpiece, but also a breakthrough that will influence Europe's strategic, economic, and technological future. Customers around the world now have a sovereign launch option at their disposal. 

Next ‘Spectrum’ launch vehicles already in production 

Isar Aerospace's model is designed to build scalable launch capabilities. That is why the company is not only developing and building a launch vehicle, but has also built the “machine behind the machine”, including a vertically integrated manufacturing model and a high degree of automation in production. ‘Spectrum’ launch vehicles 3-7 are already in production. With the opening of the new 40,000 m² production facility, Isar Aerospace will eventually have the capacity to manufacture up to 40 launch vehicles per year.