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Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum Is First Private Rocket to Reach Orbit From Continental Europe

Published Sep 5, 2026

Courtroom-sketch editorial illustration of a rocket ascending from a coastal launch pad at night, with a bright exhaust flame and a large illuminated smoke cloud above dark mountains and reflective water, rendered in warm ochre and slate-blue pastel strokes.

Isar Aerospace said its Spectrum rocket reached orbit and deployed payloads on its second flight, becoming the first privately developed rocket to reach orbit from continental Europe. The “Onward and Upward” mission lifted off from Andøya Space in Norway at 22:12 CEST on September 5. Spectrum crossed the Kármán line, reached orbital velocity, completed a circularization burn and separated spacecraft comprising five CubeSats and one experiment. The company said it was working with customers to confirm the status of individual satellites, while Spectrum vehicles 3 through 7 are already in production.

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