Unmanned rocket Spectrum, developed by the German company Isar Aerospace, reached orbit this Saturday after taking off from the spaceport of Andøya, in northern Norway. The success represents an important advance for European aspirations to have its own capacity to launch satellites into space from continental territory.
"We are in orbit! And we just made European history!" the company celebrated on X after confirming the mission's result. The launch also became the first commercial flight from continental Europe to reach space, a significant step for a European industry that seeks to reduce its dependence on American suppliers and other powers.
Bost satelite eta esperimentu teknologiko bat
The Spectrum was carrying five small satellites and one technological experiment. The vehicle has been designed by Isar Aerospace to transport small and medium payloads.
The mission had among its main objectives to validate the rocket and complete its first flight with payload. The success comes after a first failed attempt in March 2025, when the Spectrum fell into the sea and exploded shortly after takeoff from the same Norwegian base. No injuries occurred and the company considered that mission had provided useful information to continue developing the vehicle.
Norvegiak bere papera aldarrikatzen du espazio lasterketan
The Norwegian Minister of Industry and Commerce, Cecilie Myrseth, highlighted the strategic value of the launch both for her country and for Europe. In her view, having a facility from which satellites can be launched into orbit strengthens Europe's independent access capability to space.
The advance of Isar Aerospace also occurs at a time when several European countries are trying to develop their own launch infrastructures. Suecia, through Esrange, and Erresuma Batua, with the spaceport of SaxaVord, in the Shetland Islands, are also seeking to position themselves in this market.
Europak bere menpekotasuna murriztu nahi du
The European space race is taking place in a sector currently dominated by American companies like SpaceX, while Europe has ArianeGroup, the alliance between Airbus and Safran that operates from the spaceport of French Guiana.
Testuinguru honetan, Spectrum-en arrakasta Europako lurretik jaurtiketak egiteko alternatiba gehigarri bat suposatzen du. Alemaniako enpresak recently jaso ditu 232 milioi dolar Europako Espazio Agentziatik (ESA) berri coheteen garapena finantzatzeko eta probako eta jaurtitzeko instalazioak handitzeko.
Isar Aerospace ere bigarren jaurtitze-zentro bat eraikitzen ari da Kanadan.
Europako espazio estrategiaren definizioa
Aurrerapen hau Espazio G summit Frantziak Parisen irailaren 9an eta 10ean hartuko duen egun batzuk lehenago iristen da. Bilera honek sektoreko politikariek eta enpresetako ordezkariek biltzeko aukera emango du Europako espazio industriaren etorkizuna AEBetako eta Txinako lehiaren aurrean aztertzeko.
Hitza, Alemaniako co-presiditutako, Frantziako presidentea, Emmanuel Macron, eta Europako Batzordeko presidentea, Ursula von der Leyen, izango ditu. Helburua hurrengo hamarkadarako estrategia komun bat definitzea eta maiztasun radioelektrikoak eta satelite orbiten kudeaketa bezalako gaiak aztertzea izango da.
Mahai gainean egongo diren proiektuen artean IRIS², erabilera zibila eta militarra duten sateliteen etorkizuneko konstelazioa dago. Frantziak proiektu estrategiko gisa jotzen du kontinentean teknologiazko soberania lortzeko.
Sateliteen konstelazioen lehia
Alemaniak aldi berean bere militarra den konstelazio bat lantzen ari da. Frantziak ekimen hau zalantzan jartzea saihestu du, nahiz eta Europako herrialdeek IRIS² proiektu komunitarioa babestu behar dutela eskatzen duen.
Europako espazio gaitasunak indartzeko apustua egiten ari da AEBak eta Txina sektorean posizio nagusi bat mantentzen duten bitartean. Spectrum-en arrakasta orain estrategia horri elementu berri bat gehitzen dio: Europak bere lurralde kontinentaletik merkataritza jaurtiketak izateko aukera.