Isar Aerospace is a privately funded German launch company. It was founded in 2018, is based near Munich, and flies the two-stage Spectrum rocket from Andoya in Norway. Spectrum reached orbit on its second flight, a mission called Onward and Upward that lifted off at 10:12 pm Central European Summer Time (CEST) on 5 September 2026.
The first Spectrum flight, in March 2025, ended after about 30 seconds. Isar Aerospace says the 2026 flight made it the first commercial space company from Europe to deliver satellites into orbit. Its order book includes a European Space Agency (ESA) contract worth about EUR 200 million, plus launch deals with Planet, SEOPS and Astroscale Japan.
Isar Aerospace at a Glance
Isar Aerospace is a German launch company that builds and flies its own rocket, Spectrum. Spectrum reached orbit on 5 September 2026. The company has over 400 employees across five international locations and is privately funded by international investors.
Daniel Metzler is chief executive officer (CEO) and a co-founder. Spectrum launches from a dedicated Isar launch complex at Andoya Space in Norway. Signed customers include Planet, under a Pelican launch agreement reported by Satellite Today.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2018 |
| Headquarters | Near Munich, Germany |
| Employees | Over 400, across five international locations |
| CEO | Daniel Metzler (co-founder) |
| Funding | Privately funded by international investors |
| Rocket | Spectrum, two stages |
| Launch site | Dedicated complex at Andoya Space, Norway |
| Orbit | Reached on the second flight, 5 September 2026 |
Isar Aerospace’s 5 September 2026 press release describes the company as privately funded and mentions no stock market listing. Based on that release, Isar Aerospace is not publicly traded. It also does not publish its total funding raised or a valuation.
On the day of the orbital flight, Metzler said: “Today, Isar Aerospace opened space from Continental Europe.”
Spectrum Flight Record
Spectrum has flown twice. The first flight, in March 2025, ended after about 30 seconds. The second, on 5 September 2026, reached orbit.
Satellite Today reported that a pressurization valve issue caused the first flight to end. Later attempts were scrubbed or stood down, including an attempt on 15 June that Satellite Today reported was stood down. Headlines about a Spectrum first-flight explosion refer to the March 2025 flight. The September 2026 flight reached orbit.
The second flight, named Onward and Upward, lifted off at 22:12 CEST on 5 September 2026. Isar’s release lists the flight sequence in this order:
- Lift-off from the Isar complex at Andoya Space.
- Max-Q.
- Main engine cutoff and stage separation.
- Second-stage ignition.
- Crossing of the Karman line at about 100 kilometres altitude.
- Payload fairing jettison, before the rocket reached orbital velocity.
- Circularization burn.
- Spacecraft separation.
For a plain-language walk through stage separation and fairing jettison, see how rocket launches work.
The payloads were selected through the German Space Agency at DLR’s Microlauncher Competition. That competition offers low-cost access to space for educational institutions and start-ups and is funded through ESA’s Boost programme. The release does not name the satellites or say how many flew. Isar was still confirming their status with customers when it published.
| Flight 1 | Flight 2 (Onward and Upward) | |
|---|---|---|
| Date | March 2025 | 5 September 2026, 22:12 CEST |
| Launch site | Not stated in the facts reviewed | Andoya, Norway |
| Outcome | Ended after about 30 seconds | Reached orbit, spacecraft separated |
| Reported cause | Pressurization valve issue (Satellite Today) | Not applicable |
| Satellites | Not stated in the facts reviewed | Selected via DLR Microlauncher Competition; names and number not published |
Customers and Contracts
Isar Aerospace’s announced deals include a European Space Agency contract, a Planet launch agreement, five additional launches for SEOPS, and a contract with Astroscale Japan. Only the ESA deal comes with a published value.
| Announced | Customer or partner | What was announced | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 July 2026 | Planet | Launch of one Pelican satellite on Spectrum, with more planned | Not disclosed |
| 27 August 2026 | ESA | European Launcher Challenge contract | About EUR 200 million (Isar); EUR 197.8 million (ESA, as reported) |
| 1 September 2026 | Astroscale Japan | Launch contract | Not stated |
| 15 September 2026 | SEOPS (US-based) | Multiple launch agreement for five additional launches | Not stated |
Isar Aerospace announced the ESA contract in Munich on 27 August 2026 under the European Launcher Challenge. Isar puts the program commitments at about EUR 200 million. ESA’s own figure is reported as EUR 197.8 million. The money funds next-generation launch vehicles and expanded test and launch infrastructure meant to raise launch cadence.
Isar Aerospace says its manifest extends through 2028 and includes ESA and other global customers. Stella Guillen, Isar’s chief commercial officer (CCO), said: “Europe is putting serious resources behind its space sovereignty.” Lucia Linares of ESA said: “Now it is up to the challengers to prove they can deliver reliable launch services for Europe.”
The SEOPS and Astroscale Japan deals appear on Isar’s press page with dates only. Terms are not stated on the page read.
Planet and the German-Built Mission
Planet and Isar Aerospace announced on 2 July 2026 that Spectrum will launch one of Planet’s next-generation Pelican high-resolution tasking satellites. Pelican is the largest satellite in Planet’s current fleet at about 200 kilograms. The launch is targeted as early as late 2026 from Andoya, and the contract value was not disclosed.
The satellite is built in Germany, where Planet is setting up a Pelican manufacturing facility in Berlin, and the rocket is built in Germany too. Guillen said the deal “underscores the strength and growing strategic importance of the German and European space ecosystem,” Satellite Today reported. Planet plans more satellites on future Spectrum launches.
Production and the Next Launch Sites
Isar Aerospace’s stated next step after reaching orbit is to scale up Spectrum production. Spectrum vehicles 3 to 7 are already in production, which makes five rockets. A new 40,000 square metre facility is intended to reach up to 40 vehicles per year.
The company also plans a second launch complex in Nova Scotia, Canada, for mid to high inclination orbits. Metzler said: “Launch continues to be the largest bottleneck for the global space industry.”
These dates and milestones show whether the plan is on track:
- The third Spectrum flight. No date is published.
- Customer confirmation of the Onward and Upward satellites. Isar was still confirming their status at publication.
- The Planet Pelican launch. It is targeted as early as late 2026 from Andoya.
- Output from the new facility. The goal is up to 40 vehicles per year. No timeline for that rate is published.
- Nova Scotia construction. No opening date is published.
How to Read Isar Aerospace
Isar Aerospace’s public releases confirm an orbital flight, a production plan and a customer list. They leave out the numbers needed to compare Spectrum with other rockets. These figures do not appear in the releases and pages covered here:
- Price per launch
- Payload capacity to orbit
- Spectrum’s height, mass and other dimensions
- The date of the next flight
- Total funding raised and company valuation
- Names and number of satellites on the September 2026 flight
- Contract values for the Planet, SEOPS and Astroscale Japan deals
For the main types of rocket and how they differ, see the launch vehicles explainer.
The record so far is one flight that ended after about 30 seconds, one orbital flight, and vehicles 3 to 7 in production.
To place Isar Aerospace among its European peers, including PLD Space and HyImpulse, read the European launch startups overview.