Isar Aerospace achieves successful commercial orbital launch

Isar Aerospace, a German rocket startup, has successfully completed its first commercial orbital launch, marking a significant milestone for the European space industry. The mission, named ‘Onward and Upward’, utilized the Spectrum rocket and launched from the Andøya Spaceport in Norway.

The two-stage rocket successfully reached orbit, crossed the Kármán line, and deployed its payloads, which included five CubeSats and one experimental payload. These satellites belong to various educational institutions in Berlin, Vienna, Maribor, and Trondheim, organized under the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ‘Boost!’ program.

This achievement follows a failed launch attempt in March 2025. CEO and Co-Founder Daniel Metzler stated that the success provides a sovereign alternative for commercial and institutional customers, aiming to reduce reliance on external launch providers. ESA Director General Josef Aschbacher described the launch as ‘historic,’ noting it as a step toward a more autonomous European launch services sector.