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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Isar Aerospace has been selected for previous ESA initiatives, including the 'Boost!' Commercial Space Transportation Services program.
Isar Aerospace is preparing for the second test flight of its Spectrum vehicle, following an initial attempt in March 2025.
The contract signing for the launch service of ΣYNDEO-3 with Isar Aerospace is a key milestone for the IOD/IOV Program of the European Space Agency.
Isar Aerospace signed a contract with the European Space Agency (ESA) to launch a mission for the European Union’s In-Orbit Demonstration and In-Orbit Validation (IOD/IOV) programme.
In early November 2023, Isar Aerospace transported the stages for its second Spectrum flight to the launch site in Norway.
In August 2023, Isar Aerospace secured two contracts under ESA’s Flight Ticket Initiative.
On 1 December 2023, Isar Aerospace announced a contract with ESA to launch the ΣYNDEO-3 mission as part of the IOD/IOV programme.
The inaugural flight of Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket ended less than a minute after launch.
Isar Aerospace launched the inaugural flight of its 28 metre, two-stage Spectrum rocket on 30 March 2023.
The agreement for the ΣYNDEO-3 mission represents the third distinct ESA–EU joint programme for which Isar Aerospace is providing launch services.
In September 2023, Isar Aerospace signed a launch service agreement with R-Space as part of ESA’s Marketplace programme.
Isar Aerospace expects the ΣYNDEO-3 mission to be launched no earlier than the fourth quarter of 2026.
Norway will contribute 55 million euros for developing launch services from Andøya Spaceport in collaboration with commercial operator Andøya Space and Isar Aerospace from Germany.
Isar Aerospace has an existing launch platform at the Andøya Spaceport facility.
Austria contributed €3.80 million, assigning all of it to Isar Aerospace for Spectrum in Component A.
Germany allocated €23.05 million to Isar Aerospace for Spectrum in Component A and €153.80 million in Component B.
ESA shortlisted Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, PLD Space, MaiaSpace, and Orbex in July 2025 for the next phase of the initiative.
Norway allocated €5 million to Isar Aerospace for Spectrum in Component A and €20 million in Component B.
ESA shortlisted Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg, PLD Space, MaiaSpace, and Orbex for the next phase of the European Launcher Challenge.
The deal between SEOPS and Isar Aerospace was announced at Space Tech Expo Europe.