Following the first test flight of Isar Aerospace’s launch vehicle ‘Spectrum’ on 30 March 2025 from Andøya Spaceport in Norway, the company has completed a thorough investigation, further underscoring its commitment to safety.
Approximately 30 seconds into flight, ‘Spectrum’ received a termination order, resulting in an unpowered descent into the sea. The findings confirm that the flight safety system performed nominally throughout this phase of flight. At no stage did the launch pose a risk to public safety.
A comprehensive investigation was completed within two months of the launch. The findings identified an unintended opening of the vent valve and a loss of attitude control at the start of the roll maneuver as the initiating events that led to the in-flight failure. The investigation has been reviewed with the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).
Alexandre Dalloneau, Vice President of Mission and Launch Operations at Isar Aerospace, says: “Our first test flight was a significant achievement for our team and the company, providing valuable insights into all our systems. We have already implemented the necessary corrective actions and are eager to return to the pad soon. We launch, learn, and repeat!”
Based on the findings, Isar Aerospace has strengthened system resilience with regard to the controllability of ‘Spectrum’. To this end, software missionization has been enhanced and additional environmental margins have been incorporated. With these corrective actions in place, Isar Aerospace is confidently targeting its second flight.
The first test flight allowed the company to validate its vertical integration of designing, developing, and testing ‘Spectrum’ almost entirely in-house. The launch further represents a significant achievement for sovereign European space capabilities, marking the first orbital launch attempt from continental Europe.
