Spectrum
Isar Aerospace
Isar Aerospace's two-stage orbital launch vehicle targeting 1,000 kg to LEO using LOX/propane, launching from Andøya Space Center in Norway.
Key figurescomparable across the catalogue
- Payload capacity
- 1,000 kg
Normalised to common units so this product can be compared with others in its category. The supplier's own wording is below.
As published by the supplier
- Stages
- 2
- Propellants
- LOX/Propane
- First stage engines
- 9× Aquila
- Payload to LEO
- ~1,000 kg
- Payload to SSO
- ~700 kg
- Launch site
- Andøya Space Center, Norway
- Founded
- 2018, Munich, Germany
About
Spectrum is Isar Aerospace’s orbital launch vehicle, a two-stage rocket powered by nine Aquila engines on the first stage and one Aquila engine (vacuum-optimized) on the second stage. The vehicle uses LOX/propane propellants — a combination chosen for high performance, clean combustion (no soot, better for reusability), and propellant availability. Spectrum targets approximately 1,000 kg payload to LEO or 700 kg to SSO.
Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 by a team of Munich Technical University students and has grown to become one of Europe’s leading commercial launch startups. The company has raised over €355 million from investors including Airbus Ventures, HV Capital, and Bayern Kapital. Spectrum is developed for launch from Andøya Space Center in Norway — one of Europe’s northernmost launch sites, optimized for polar and sun-synchronous orbit access.
Isar Aerospace conducted a static fire test of the Spectrum first stage and Aquila engine cluster in 2024, validating the propulsion system ahead of an inaugural orbital launch attempt. The company positions Spectrum as a dedicated launch option for European smallsat operators wanting launch sovereignty without dependence on non-European vehicles.
Documentation
No public datasheet yet — request the datasheet / ICD from the supplier.