Isar Aerospace won €197.8 million for a rocket that has flown 30 seconds

The European Space Agency has signed its first contracts under the European Launcher Challenge. Three German and Spanish rocket startups now have until 2028 to get to orbit.

ESA announced the awards on Thursday, describing them as a push to expand Europe’s launch options and reduce reliance on SpaceX.

Spectrum has flown for 30 seconds and just won €197.8 million

Munich-based Isar Aerospace won the biggest of the three prizes, about €200 million ($233 million), the company said in a statement Thursday.

The contract, worth €197.8 million, is funded mainly by Germany, with contributions from Austria and Norway, ESA said.

Isar is working on Spectrum, a two-stage rocket 28 meters high with ten engines. In 2025, the vehicle flew for 30 seconds from a dedicated pad at Andøya Spaceport in Norway before coming down.

A second Spectrum is being groomed for a qualification flight with payloads the company hopes to place in orbit. In its current form, the rocket can carry up to 1,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit.

… Continue reading the full article at the original source below.