Isar Aerospace completes testing of first Spectrum rocket

Isar Aerospace has NCAA permit for launch
Subject to weather, safety and range availability,
They are preparing for Spectrum's first test flight in a launch period beginning from Mar 20.

Source X
 
From Isar Aerospace:
Subject to weather, safety and range infrastructure, the first launch window for Spectrum’s first test flight opens NET 24 Mar.

If successful the Spectrum will be first Lox/Propane rocket to reach orbit.

source:
 
Spectrum fully load on on launch pad

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I remember first learning about SpaceX about 15 years ago, and thinking that there could be no equivalent privately-led and (mostly funded) launcher company in europe, i'm definitely happy to finally see such a company attempt to reach orbit, I wish for their eventual success as well as those of all the other europeans aspiring LSP.

Also happy to see a full-german launcher, 100 years after Oberth, 50 years after the OTRAG adventure. Germany is a country with a notable aerospace industry, but that never had the conjunction of political will, funding and appropriate organisations to ever lead the development of an orbital launcher unlike France, Italy and Britain.

This launch had quite a number of firsts:
1st Propalox launcher
Largest composite Primary structure launcher (Firefly Alpha and Launcher one are both slightly smaller),
1st vertical orbital launch attempt from europe outside of Russia (or alternatively, 1st orbital launch attempt from the Schengen Area)
1st mainly German orbital launcher
1st Western european launcher made outside of gov. agencies framework
Northernmost orbital launch site (not northernmost orbital launch attempt, that's the launches of the converted R29 from the barents sea)


Quite a lot of oscilations in thrust vectoring before loss of attitude control, also a weird and short change in the plume several seconds after lift off.
 

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