The inaugural flight of Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket ended in a spectacular failure today, marking a major setback for the Germany-based company. The rocket, aiming to become the first orbital vehicle launched from European soil, lifted off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway but suffered a catastrophic anomaly just 18 seconds into the flight.
Credit: Isar Aerospace
Video footage of the launch captured the rocket veering off course mere seconds after liftoff. The vehicle began to tumble uncontrollably before plummeting to the frozen ground and exploding into a massive fireball.
While the exact cause of the anomaly remains unclear, the footage suggests that Spectrum's engines shut off mid-flight. This has led to speculation that flight controllers may have deliberately terminated the mission once the rocket became unstable.
The failed launch was intended as a test mission, carrying no commercial payloads. According to Isar Aerospace, the goal was to gather data on the vehicle’s performance during its maiden flight. Despite the failure, the ground facilities at Andøya Spaceport, which were built specifically for Spectrum launches, reportedly remained undamaged.
Today's attempt marked the first-ever rocket launch from Andøya Spaceport, which opened in 2023 along the northern coast of Norway. The facility was designed to support small to medium-lift rockets like Spectrum, which stands 95 feet (28 meters) tall and is capable of delivering up to 2,200 pounds (1,000 kilograms) to low-Earth orbit. By comparison, SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket, a more established launch vehicle, stands 230 feet (70 meters) tall.
Impact on Future Missions
While Spectrum has yet to reach orbit, Isar Aerospace has already secured contracts for future missions. The company has an agreement with the Norwegian Space Agency to launch satellites for the Arctic Ocean Surveillance (AOS) program by 2028. It remains uncertain whether today's failure will delay that timeline.
Isar Aerospace has not yet provided details on the cause of the anomaly but is expected to conduct a thorough investigation in the coming weeks.
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