Isar Aerospace is a German aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider founded in 2018. They are developing "Spectrum," a two-stage, liquid-fueled rocket designed to launch small to medium-sized satellites (up to 1,000 kg) into low Earth orbit. Isar Aerospace operates launch sites in Andøya, Norway and intends to launch from Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana and has secured contracts with customers like Airbus Defence and Space and the Norwegian Space Agency. The company's key investors include the NATO Innovation Fund, Earlybird, Airbus Ventures, and Lakestar.
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The new Isar Aerospace facility at Esrange concentrates engine and stage testing activity at the northern Sweden site while final launch operations for Spectrum will be carried out from designated spaceports.
Isar Aerospace views the new Esrange testing capability as increasing flexibility and helping the company respond to growing market demand for launch services.
Both Esrange test sites are tailored to Isar Aerospace’s internal requirements and are part of its vertically integrated approach across design, manufacturing, testing, and operations.
Isar Aerospace’s second test facility at Esrange will allow the company to test and qualify more engines and stages than before.
Isar Aerospace is building a new production facility near Munich where interior fit-out work is underway.
The Esrange acceptance test facility will support fully integrated stage acceptance testing, allowing Isar Aerospace to qualify complete stages before they move into launch operations.
Isar Aerospace aims to industrialize launch vehicle production and improve schedule control and reliability for satellite customers by bringing more of the value chain in house.
The expansion at Esrange is aligned with the build-out of Isar Aerospace’s new production facility near Munich.
The new Esrange test facility will support Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum rocket development and enable vertical integration from design through manufacture, testing, and operations.
Isar Aerospace announced a joint project with SSC Space on February 4, 2026 to build a second test facility at the Esrange Space Center in northern Sweden to expand test operations.
Isar Aerospace is based in Munich and its co‑founder and CEO is Daniel Metzler.
Isar Aerospace is the most advanced among the prospective ELM operators in its preparations to begin commercial operations of its rocket, but its initial flight activity is being conducted from Andøya Space in Norway.
CNES preselected Avio, HyImpulse, Isar Aerospace, MaiaSpace, PLD Space, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Latitude in July 2022 for allocation at the ELM facility.
Binding Term Sheets were signed by Isar Aerospace, PLD Space, Rocket Factory Augsburg, MaiaSpace, and Latitude to formalize their allocation at the future ELM site.
Isar Aerospace identified a pressurization valve issue during the first launch attempt of Mission 'Onward and Upward'.
In early 2024, ESA and the European Union pre-selected Arianespace, Isar Aerospace, PLD Space, Orbex, and Rocket Factory Augsburg to form the initiative’s pool of launch service providers.
ESA awarded the first two Flight Ticket Initiative contracts to Avio and Isar Aerospace in August 2025.
In May 2021 Isar Aerospace was one of two winners of the second round of the Microlauncher Competition and received €11 million in funding.
Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second flight of its two-stage Spectrum rocket.
In December 2025 Isar Aerospace completed successful hotfire tests of both stages of the Spectrum rocket for its second flight.