News European small launch vehicle start-up news

[Urwumpe]

Since we don't have a special topic about them now and this is largely unrelated to ESA or EU, its time we give them their own thread. This should be about "commercial" spaceflight start-ups in Europe. Commerical in quotes, since despite largely following the footsteps of their US counterparts, the companies are still strongly depending on public money and customers and less on risk capital than in the USA. At the same time, we have quite many developments here, many firsts to come, especially the first orbital launch from continental Europe.

Also, for historic reasons, I would like to collect a list of the companies in this thread and their fates.

 

[Urwumpe]

Company listing​

Company	Product	Main product	Founded	Defunct	Country
ARCASpace	Orbital launch	EcoRocket	1999		Romania
Copenhagen Suborbitals	Suborbital launch	Spica	2008		Denmark
The Exploration Company	Spacecraft	Nyx	2021		Germany/France
FAST Aerospace	Orbital launch	HyperDart	2024		Italy
German Offshore Spaceport Alliance	Spaceport operation	German Offshore Spaceport	2017		Germany
hyImpulse	Orbital launch	SL1	2018		Germany
isar aerospace	Orbital launch	Spectrum	2018		Germany
Orbex	Orbital launch	Prime	2015		UK
OTRAG †	Orbital launch		1974	1987	Germany
PLD Space	Orbital launch	Muira	2011		Spain
Polaris Raumflugzeuge	Space planes	Aurora	2019		Germany
Rocket Factory Augsburg	Orbital launch	RFA One	2018		Germany
SaxaVord	Spaceport operation	SaxaVord Spaceport	2017		UK
Skyrora	Orbital launch	Skyrora XL	2017		UK
T-minus	Suborbital launch	DART	2011		Netherlands

Special mentions​

• NewSpace initiative - An alliance created within the German industry association BDI, that joins many companies and organisations active in the field of new space applications
• Andøya Space - Operates the Andøya space center. Joint venture of the Norwegian government and the largely state-owned defense company Kongsberg
• NATO Innovation Fund - Provides risk capital to many spaceflight related start-ups
• Bavaria One - Somewhere between a space program, industry development program, political stunt and joke. Represents a 700 million € budget used by the state ministry of economics, state development and energy of the German free state of Bavaria. Funding was used for example for establishing the Department of Aerospace and Geodesy at the technical university of Munich in 2018.

Last changes (2025-06-25):

• Added The Exploration Company

 

[Urwumpe]

Heise: Vor Isar-Aerospace-Testflug: "Die Rakete darf explodieren"

Short summary:

• Launch is planned Monday, 24th of March, between 12:30 and 15:30 CET (11:30 to 14:30 UTC)
• Launch site is Andoya spaceport
• Rocket may explode, its just planned to gather as much flight experience as possible

 

[Arvil]

It’s just unfortunate that Europe doesn’t have a good East Coast for launches without worrying about downrange fallout over land.

 

[Fabri91]

It’s just unfortunate that Europe doesn’t have a good East Coast for launches without worrying about downrange fallout over land.

The old Wideawake International add-on comes to mind

 

[Notebook]

It’s just unfortunate that Europe doesn’t have a good East Coast for launches without worrying about downrange fallout over land.

BLUE STREAK, UK intermediate Range Ballistic Missile was launched from Woomera and Kourou before it was cancelled.
However, some thought was given to launching from Spadeadam in NW England when negotiations with Australia got difficult.

After a review it was deemed possible and cheaper than Woomera. Disadvantages were the risk to population as it tracked NNE, the response of the USSR and North Sea oil exploration was just getting started.
It was assessed as too dangerous and Woomera was back on the table.
The Launch Pads, engine test stands and support infrastructures are now protected monuments.
RAF Spadeadam is now an Electronic Warefare Range.

Forgotten airfields europe

Directory of abandoned, forgotten and little known airfiels in europe

www.forgottenairfields.com

 

[Urwumpe]

I decided to not include state-owned companies into the list, is that OK? Also, should I include classic manufacturers like OHB or Airbus Space? I think they should only be represented, if they sell their own services to customers, instead of the classic contractor model. I didn't want this list to be the Yellow Pages of European Spaceflight, because it could become pretty exhausting then. Also I want to focus on vehicles and launch operations, so the huge supplier industry can be left out as well.

Any suggestions how to improve the listing?

 

[MaxBuzz]

Zero 2 Infinity but high-altitude balloons designed to provide access to near space
For some reason everyone forgets that the first man in space flew in a stratospheric balloon

USSR-1 - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Urwumpe]

Fueling is complete for Spectrum, sadly I have not yet found any livestream.

 

[MaxBuzz]

live broadcast
It's unusual to see rockets in snowy locations, but at least you won't be eaten by an Amur tiger like at the Vostochny Cosmodrome

 

[Urwumpe]

There is a possible live stream available from Norwegian TV

Andøya: Følg testoppskytingen av «Spectrum» - VGTV

Det europeiske romselskapet Isar Aerospace skal ha sin første test oppskyting av raketten «Spectrum». Raketten skal kunne frakte satellitter opp til verdensrommet for å gå i bane rundt jorden. Oppskytingen skjer fra Andøya Spaceport som, er den første operative romhavnen i Europa.

tv.vg.no

 

[Urwumpe]

Launch seems to be scrubbed for today, wait for an official confirmation by isar aerospace. Likely reason is the wind at the launch site.

 

[Urwumpe]

Confirmed.

The first test flight of Spectrum is scrubbed due to unfavorable winds. The vehicle and range remain healthy, and the team is working to determine a new launch window together with Andøya Spaceport. Isar Aerospace will announce the new launch window when available. Well done, team for today’s attempt.

 

[Urwumpe]

Who is interested and in the region of Augsburg, RocketFactory Augsburg (RFA) has an open day at their factory on the 29th of March. Prior announcement required by email.

Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) - Tag der Raumfahrt 2025

Entdecke die Zukunft der Raumfahrt bei Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA)!

www.tagderraumfahrt25.de

Generally, you can find some events and companies taking part here on the 28th and 29th of March. Maybe you can even meet some fellow Orbiter-Forum lads and lass somewhere.

Startseite - Tag der Raumfahrt 2025

Raumfahrt ist Faszination und Alltag zugleich. Am Tag der Raumfahrt öffnen viele Einrichtungen ihre Tore oder starten Aktionen zum Mitmachen.

www.tagderraumfahrt25.de

 

[Urwumpe]

New launch window for Spectrum is March 27th, again 12:30 -15:30 (CET).

Flight News! - Isar Aerospace

By enabling access to space, we contribute to humanity’s progress and our planet’s sustainable technological and economic development. Select your journey to orbit and launch with us.

www.isaraerospace.com

 

[cosmonaut2040]

Who is interested and in the region of Augsburg, RocketFactory Augsburg (RFA) has an open day at their factory on the 29th of March. Prior announcement required by email.

Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA) - Tag der Raumfahrt 2025

Entdecke die Zukunft der Raumfahrt bei Rocket Factory Augsburg (RFA)!

www.tagderraumfahrt25.de

Generally, you can find some events and companies taking part here on the 28th and 29th of March. Maybe you can even meet some fellow Orbiter-Forum lads and lass somewhere.

Startseite - Tag der Raumfahrt 2025

Raumfahrt ist Faszination und Alltag zugleich. Am Tag der Raumfahrt öffnen viele Einrichtungen ihre Tore oder starten Aktionen zum Mitmachen.

www.tagderraumfahrt25.de

Whoa, a visit to a rocket factory definitively sounds interesting! I'd consider it, even though it'd be about 170 km travel for me. But unfortunately it seems that the deadline for email registration was on the 14th.

 

[Urwumpe]

Whoa, a visit to a rocket factory definitively sounds interesting! I'd consider it, even though it'd be about 170 km travel for me. But unfortunately it seems that the deadline for email registration was on the 14th.

Oh, my fault then to post this.

I had looked last in December at the homepage, when almost only the DLR school labs were listed, I checked again too late.

 

[Buck Rogers]

The Polaris Project looks intersting! Could be a nice mod for Orbiter (spaceplanes are the best!).

 

[NorbertWoller]

Yes! the XR2 is my absolute favorite

 

[Urwumpe]

No livestream of the launch tomorrow, it seems. Seems like isar aerospace is the opinion, videos of exploding rockets are not received well by investors.

Well, usually its hard to hide an exploding rocket, but in this case the location could be remote enough.