The first unmanned Spectrum orbital rocket launched from Europe crashed seconds after launch. However, according to the developers, the mission still mattered, informs The Guardian.
The Spectrum rocket, which was supposed to launch satellites from Europe, crashed and exploded less than a minute after liftoff from a Norwegian spaceport on Sunday, March 30. It was the first test launch organized by the German startup Isar Aerospace.
The developers noted in advance that the start could be unsuccessful. After the incident, the company said that a lot of important information was obtained during the launch, which will be useful for further developments. Spectrum was announced as the first attempt to perform an orbital launch from the territory of Europe. Several European countries, including Great Britain and Sweden, intend to take a place in the commercial space launch market.
The rocket is designed to deliver satellites weighing up to one ton into orbit. During the first flight, which took place at the Arctic Cosmodrome in Norway, it did not have a payload. The purpose of the mission was to collect data on the launch vehicle, built by Isar Aerospace, and conduct a full test of its systems, the company said last week.
Great Britain for the first time allowed the launch of a rocket into space from European territory. The country’s regulator issued the first license for a vertical orbital launch. The license was received by the German company Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA), which plans to conduct a test launch of the 30-meter RFA ONE rocket from the SaxaVord spaceport in the Shetland Islands in 2025.
