For Chiara Manfletti, Professor of Space Propulsion and Mobility at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), considers the second launch an important signal.
"The mere fact that we are seeing a second start is a success for me,"
She says in an interview with Munich Startup that Europe has been trying for years to build commercially driven space companies – every real launch brings this goal a step closer, regardless of the outcome. Isar Aerospace has raised substantial private funding in recent years. This also increases the pressure to meet expectations.
"Now they have to deliver. On the other hand, it is absolutely extraordinary that a European startup has reached this point in such a short time."
Why every second counts during a rocket launch
Rocket launches are not all-or-nothing events. Even if a flight ends prematurely, it provides valuable insights. Manfletti explained:
"A rocket is an extremely complex machine. Every second it runs shows us how it behaves and how the individual systems perform."
This data is crucial for identifying weaknesses and implementing improvements. The approach deliberately echoes development processes from the startup world: test, learn, adapt.
"It's like driving a car: with every drive you learn something new, and if you could optimize yourself, you would increase the performance."
International examples show that this approach can work. Even SpaceX, with Elon Musk, only achieved its breakthrough on the fourth attempt. Daniel Metzler and Isar Aerospace aim to succeed on their third try.
Entrepreneurial spirit under extreme conditions
Isar Aerospace's "startup approach" is closely linked to the mentality of its founding team. Manfletti describes CEO Daniel Metzler as representing a generation that, after graduating, doesn't wait for existing structures but wants to create its own momentum. "He just does it," she says, referring to the enormous resilience required to guide a space startup through both good times and bad.
Because rocket development is a high-risk entrepreneurial path: high investments, long development times, no finished product, and yet the need to convince investors of one's own vision.
Into new dimensions
The mission is called “Onward and Upward”Unlike the first flight, this one is not just a test, but also the rocket's qualification mission and its first flight with payloads on board. The plan is to transport five CubeSats and a technological experiment, including projects from universities and research institutions in Germany, Austria, and Norway.
The mission is supported by the ESA's Boost! program. Isar Aerospace had previously prevailed in the German Space Agency's Microlauncher Competition at the DLR – an important step towards the industrial use of the rocket.
Launch of Europe's first orbital spaceport
The mission will be launched from the Isar Aerospace launch complex at the Andøya spaceport in Norway. The site was officially opened at the end of 2023 and is considered the first operational orbital spaceport on the European mainland. Isar Aerospace has exclusive access to a launch facility for orbital missions there.
The geographical location makes polar and sun-synchronous orbits possible in particular – a crucial advantage for Earth observation and communication satellites.
Spectrum: Small rocket with industrial aspirations
The two-stage Spectrum launch vehicle, entirely developed, manufactured, and tested by Isar Aerospace, will be used again. The rocket is approximately 28 meters long, has a diameter of two meters, and uses liquid oxygen and liquid propane as propellants.
The first stage is powered by nine Aquila engines, the second stage by a vacuum-optimized Aquila engine. In the future, Spectrum is intended to be able to transport up to 1,000 kilograms of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO) or 700 kilograms into sun-synchronous orbit (SSO).
More than a test flight
Whether the Spectrum rocket will reach its ultimate goal on the second attempt remains to be seen. However, one thing is certain: every further flight provides insights that advance Europe's commercial space program. Or, as Manfletti it states:
"It's less about what we do, we can build rockets, but how we do it."
The launch from Andøya is therefore more than just a technical test. It symbolizes the attempt to rethink space travel in Europe – faster, bolder, and closer to the logic of startups.
Sources
- Interview with Prof. Dr. Chiara Manfletti, Professor of Space Propulsion and Mobility at the Technical University of Munich (TUM), conducted by Munich Startup on January 19, 2026
- Isar Aerospace: Press Kit for the “Onward and Upward” mission 2026
