Isar Aerospace, a Bavarian rocket startup based in Ottobrunn near Munich, has been granted permission by the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority to conduct its first test rocket launch from Andøya Spaceport. The test flight is scheduled to begin on Thursday, March 20, and represents a significant step forward for the company and for European space access.
CEO and co-founder Daniel Metzler highlighted the importance of the mission in a press release, stating, “In the coming days, Isar Aerospace will lay the foundation for regaining Europe's urgently needed independent and competitive access to space.” The primary objective of the test flight is to gather crucial data and operational experience that will inform future development.
This launch marks a double milestone: not only is it the inaugural flight for Isar Aerospace, but it is also the first test flight of an orbital launch vehicle from continental Europe. Traditionally, Europe's heavy-lift rockets, such as those developed by Airbus for the Ariane series, have been launched from Kourou in French Guiana. The approval for a continental launch could signal a new era for European space efforts, potentially reducing dependence on non-European launch sites.
