Testing future European rocket technology – Successful Spectrum launch

April 10, 2025
Testing a rocket engine. Credit: Isar Aerospace

The partnership between SSC and Isar Aerospace began already in 2019. Since then, Isar Aerospace has successfully tested the engines of its Spectrum rocket at Esrange Space Center, gearing up for the recent successful first test launch from Andøya Spaceport.

The successful launch of the Isar Aerospace Spectrum rocket on March 30 marks a significant achievement for the European space industry and highlights the fruitful collaboration between SSC and Isar Aerospace.

Juan Gracia Garcia-Lisbona, Manager VTS Safety & Operations at SSC, stated, “This is a gigantic step forward, not only for Isar but for the whole space industry in Europe. We are incredibly proud and deeply grateful to be part of this journey.”

As the teams continue to celebrate this achievement, SSC looks forward to future collaborations and milestones.

 

A heartfelt congratulations to the entire
team at Isar Aerospace and Andøya Spaceport”

 

“The recent launch of Spectrum from Andøya Spaceport is a major milestone for the continued efforts in growing European launch capabilities,” says Ulrika Unell, Head of Orbital Launch and Rocket Test Division. “We look forward to further developing the facilities at Esrange. Collaboration and partnerships are key, and Isar Aerospace is highly valued”.

Group picture of the Isar and SSC team
The Isar Aerospace team at Esrange invited the VTS team to watch the launch with them, and the event was hosted in the hall of the SSC Kiruna Office.

At Esrange Space Center, we provide a portfolio of services tailored for development, qualification, and acceptance testing of rocket engines and flight hardware.

“Our services range from component level and engine testing, all the way stage testing and flight of fully reusable launch vehicles,” explains Juan Gracia Garcia-Lisbona, Manager VTS Safety & Operations at SSC. “We can also host tests of solid rocket motors, flight exploration vehicles, and of course testing of liquid engines and hybrid motors fueled by sustainable propellants.”

The Isar Aerospace and SSC partnership was established under the Testbed program at Esrange Space Center, where the testing and validation campaign of the Aquila engine took place at Vertical Test Stand 2 (VTS-2). The engines on the vehicle that lifted off last week passed through Esrange Space Center and VTS-2 on their way to flight, a fact that SSC takes great pride in.

The journey together with Isar Aerospace has been filled with hard work and dedication.

“The test stand project at Esrange started with a drawing on a napkin and, after sweat and great collaborative effort, the test rig became a reality. The relationship between the teams at Esrange is splendid, and we are excited to see where the future will take us, ends Juan Gracia.

A heartfelt congratulations to the entire team at Isar Aerospace and Andøya Spaceport.

Launch of the Spectrum rocket from Andöya, Norway.

Photo credit incl. top image: Isar Aerospace, Simon Fischer, Wingmen Media

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