European launch provider Isar Aerospace is preparing for its second flight, a critical qualification mission from its dedicated site at Andøya Space in Norway. Scheduled for no earlier than 21 January 2026, with a launch window opening at 9:00 PM CET, the mission marks a significant step in advancing Europe’s sovereign space capabilities. The launch date remains subject to final weather, safety, and range clearances.
Dubbed ‘Onward and Upward’, this mission’s primary objective is the operational qualification of the company’s ‘Spectrum’ rocket. It represents a first for Isar Aerospace as it will carry customer payloads: five CubeSats and one in-space experiment. The mission is supported by the European Space Agency’s Boost! program and follows Isar’s win in the first Microlauncher Competition by the German Space Agency at DLR, which facilitated the payload selection.
“This qualification flight is a deliberate step toward delivering sovereign access to space for Europe and allied nations,” said Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-founder of Isar Aerospace. “Just ten months after proving that launch vehicles can be designed, built, and launched from continental European soil, we’re ready to fly again. Europe’s immediate need for space access is clear.”
The mission aims to validate the rocket’s critical systems in real flight conditions. “The insights we gain with this mission will strengthen Europe’s space infrastructure, a capability essential for defense readiness and economic resilience,” added Alexandre Dalloneau, Vice President of Mission and Launch Operations.
Concurrently, Isar Aerospace is scaling production. Vehicles 3 through 7 of the ‘Spectrum’ fleet are already in manufacturing. The company utilizes a vertically integrated and automated production system, designing and building most components in-house. This industrial approach supports its roadmap to meet growing launch demand, further bolstered by a new 40,000 m² production facility near Munich set to open in 2026.
