Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket Crashes Few Seconds After Take-Off [VIDEO]

After months of waiting for the launch of the Isar Aerospace Spectrum rocket, things took a wrong turn. Just seconds after the rocket was airborne, it spun out of control and crashed into the Norwegian Sea.

Isar Aerospace’s First European Launch Failed

Isar Aerospace and Andoya Space collaborated on the launch of the Spectrum rocket from the spaceport in Norway. This flight was to be the first orbital rocket launch from Europe.

Previous reports revealed that the launch was to take place after the Norway spaceport was active between 20-30 March 2025. Isar Aerospace later postponed the flight to 27 March 2025, but the launch was delayed again due to bad weather conditions.

On 29 March 2025, the rocket’s debut launch took place from the Andoya spaceport in Norway, but things didn’t go according to plan. Just after a successful launch and staying airborne for 30 seconds, the Spectrum rocket went out of control and crashed into the Norwegian Sea.

Some might call this a failed launch attempt, but the ESA, as well as other European space agencies, note it’s a significant step for the European space industry.

The Isar Aerospace Spectrum Rocket Launch: A Failure Or A Step In The Right Direction?

The global space race is on, and the ESA is looking for its own launch capacities.

The Isar Aerospace Spectrum rocket launch was to change this for the entire region. Isar Aerospace claims that this launch represents a step in the right direction for the European space industry.

In an official statement, the space firm said that the launch “met its set goals: After ignition of its first stage, Spectrum successfully lifted off … for its first test flight lasting approximately 30 seconds.” It adds that this launch also allowed the company to gather a substantial amount of flight data and experience to apply to future missions.”

With this data, Daniel Metzler, CEO and co-founder of Isar Aerospace, emphasizes that his company is well-positioned to serve global customers, enabling satellite deployments while addressing a critical gap in Europe’s security infrastructure: independent access to space. Additionally, a second launch may already be in the pipeline, aimed at refining the lessons learned from the first mission to ensure a successful follow-up.