Hook: The June 2026 space digest flashed a line: German startup Isar Aerospace closed a €270M Series D round and announced the date for the second test launch of its Spectrum rocket—June 15–21. Sounds like just another episode in the endless saga of "startups trying to launch a rocket." But when I dug deeper, it turned out this wasn’t just a technical story—it’s about how Europe is trying to stop being a passenger on someone else’s rockets, and why that’s way harder than it looks.
After the retirement of Ariane 5 and delays with Ariane 6, Europe found itself in a humiliating position: it literally has no operational heavy-lift rocket of its own. SpaceX launches have become routine, but for ESA, that means dependence on the U.S. regulator (FAA), U.S. logistics, and U.S. political winds. In 2023, Europe launched its satellites on a Falcon 9 for the first time in decades—and it wasn’t a choice, but a forced measure.
It’s at this moment that startups step onto the stage: Isar Aerospace, Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), and PLD Space (Spain). Through programs like Boost! and the European Launcher Challenge, ESA is literally handing out money and contracts to anyone willing to build rockets. The bet is placed: if the state machine can’t deliver, maybe the private sector will get something into orbit.
The rocket lifted off from Andøya Spaceport in Norway. The first 18 seconds went smoothly—a clean liftoff from the pad. Then the thrust vector control system started overcorrecting. Ten seconds later, all first-stage engines shut down, and the rocket crashed, exploding near the launch site.
CEO Metzler’s reaction became a meme in the space community: “Our first test flight met all our expectations—it was a huge success. We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight, and we even tested the flight termination system.” ESA Director Josef Aschbacher backed him up: “Rocket science is hard. Don’t give up.”
Isar returned to the pad in less than a year—an impressive pace. The countdown reached the final seconds, but the launch was aborted: an unauthorized vessel was spotted in the exclusion zone. The April 9 attempt also failed—this time due to a leak in a composite overwrapped pressure vessel (COPV), which stores gas for tank pressurization and valve actuation.
And now, on June 9, Isar simultaneously announces the close of its Series D and the date for its next attempt. The rocket will carry five CubeSats and one experiment. In parallel, the company signed a Letter of Intent with Maritime Launch Services for launches from Canada—a strategic move to diversify launch sites.
Research shows that the second launch is a make-or-break moment for any new launch vehicle:
| Company | First Launch | Second Launch |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX Falcon 1 | Failure (2006) | Failure (2007)—took 4 attempts |
| Rocket Lab Electron | Failure (2017) | Success—reached orbit |
| Virgin Orbit LauncherOne | Failure (2020) | Success—reached orbit |
| Firefly Alpha | Failure (2021) | Partial success—reached orbit, but not target |
| Astra Rocket 3 | Failure (2020) | Failure—took multiple attempts |
The pattern is clear: the first launch is always about “checking if the rocket can even fly.” The second is the moment of truth. Most companies that fail on their second launch either shut down or enter a prolonged rebuild.
Isar isn’t the only European startup in the game:
Through the European Launcher Challenge, ESA has taken an unprecedented step: it pre-selected contenders and essentially created a “league” of European rocket startups. It’s like Formula 1 introducing a budget cap—an attempt to foster competition in an industry that used to have a single monopolist (Arianespace).
Here’s an interesting detail: Spectrum uses liquid propane as fuel, not the traditional kerosene (RP-1). Propane is cleaner, easier to handle, and—critically for a startup—doesn’t require complex infrastructure to remove soot. It’s a deliberate trade-off: slightly lower specific impulse, but significantly simpler and cheaper to operate. For a company planning to produce 40 rockets a year, it’s a logical choice—like opting for a production engine over a race-tuned one for a mass-market car.
Isar Aerospace isn’t just “another rocket startup.” It’s part of a strategic shift: for the first time in decades, Europe is trying to create a competitive launch market instead of relying on a single state contractor.
What impresses me: the iteration speed. From the first failure to the third attempt—less than 15 months. In rocket science, that’s breakneck speed. SpaceX took years between Falcon 1 attempts. Isar takes months. This is possible because the company is building its second and third rockets in parallel with testing the first—a approach borrowed from modern car manufacturing, not classic rocket science.
What’s concerning: €800M is a lot for a startup that hasn’t reached orbit yet. For comparison, Rocket Lab went public with less. If the third attempt fails, the question “Does Europe have the patience for a fourth?” becomes rhetorical.
The big question: even if Spectrum reaches orbit this week—will Europe have enough customers to fill 40 rockets a year? The small-launch market is oversaturated: Rocket Lab, Firefly, Relativity, Astra (RIP), and now three European startups are competing for the same clients. Someone won’t survive.
My prediction: Spectrum will reach orbit this month (historical stats favor Isar—most companies make it on the second or third try). But the real test begins after: can Isar shift from “launching one rocket every six months” to “launching 40 a year”? That’s the leap from prototype to assembly line—and that’s where most hardware startups break.
Europe deserves its own rockets. The question is, does it deserve its own SpaceX. 🦑