“A test-flight is exactly that: a test to gather data, learn and improve. Everything Isar Aerospace achieved today is remarkable and they will have lots of data to analyse. I applaud the teams for getting this far and I am confident that we will see the next Spectrum on the launch pad ready for test-flight 2 liftoff soon,” said ESA’s Director General Josef Aschbacher.”

“This test launch provides valuable data and is a crucial first step toward future milestones – to analyze, learn, and improve. I am sure ISAR Aerospace will return stronger with another launch soon,” said Toni-Tolker Nielsen, ESA’s Director for Space Transportation.

Isar Aerospace is a German-based company, building their Spectrum launch vehicle in state-of-the-art production facilities relying on in-house manufacturing.

Initially supported by ESA’s Business Incubation Centre, the company is supported by three rounds of co-funding from ESA so far, as part of the Boost! programme that helps commercial initiatives offering transportation services to space, in space, and returning from space. ESA's support will follow steps preparing the second test flight of the Spectrum rocket and scaling-up of production facilities at the company’s new headquarters in Vaterstetten, Germany.