Isar Aerospace is preparing a second orbital launch attempt of its Spectrum rocket from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport, aiming for liftoff on January 21. The mission follows a partial success in 2024 and will carry CubeSats and a scientific payload, marking a step toward operational launches.
A German-built rocket is preparing for launch from northern Norway on Tuesday evening, as Isar Aerospace moves forward with a second attempt to place its Spectrum vehicle into orbit. Liftoff is targeted for around 20:00 UTC from the Andøya Spaceport, with a launch window running from January 21 through January 23, subject to weather and range availability.
The mission follows Spectrum’s first test flight in 2024, which achieved a clean liftoff but ended less than a minute after launch when the vehicle lost control. Data from that flight was used to implement modifications across propulsion, guidance, and flight control systems, according to the company.
Unlike the earlier test, the upcoming mission carries customer payloads. Spectrum is set to deploy several CubeSats alongside a scientific payload, shifting the flight profile beyond pure validation and toward early commercial operations.
Spectrum is a 28-meter, two-stage launch vehicle powered by Isar Aerospace’s in-house Aquila engines. It is designed to deliver small and medium-class satellites into low Earth orbit, a segment of the launch market experiencing sustained demand from Earth observation, communications, and research operators.
For Isar Aerospace, reaching orbit would establish the system’s baseline capability after years of development. More broadly, the launch is being closely watched within Europe, where governments and industry are seeking domestic launch options amid tightening access to foreign providers and growing strategic emphasis on autonomous space infrastructure.