The German rocket manufacturer Isar Aerospace has secured two contracts from the European Space Agency (ESA).
This marks the first such agreement with a private European space company, the German startup announced on Wednesday. "These agreements highlight the confidence that European institutions have in our launch services," said Isar CEO and co-founder Daniel Metzler. A spokesperson declined to comment on the value of the contracts when asked.
Starting in 2026, Isar Aerospace will launch satellites for providers ISISpace and Infinite Orbits into orbit. The two-stage rocket designated for these missions successfully completed its maiden test flight in the spring. The "Spectrum" rocket is 28 meters long and falls under the category of microlaunchers. It is capable of carrying small and medium-sized satellites with a payload of up to one tonne into space.
Isar Aerospace counts Volkswagen's major shareholder Porsche among its investors. The Ottobrunn-based company is one of several German startups aiming to compete with billionaire Elon Musk's space firm SpaceX. Just a few weeks ago, Isar secured €150 million in fresh capital.
(Reporting by Hakan Ersen, edited by Myria Mildenberger. For inquiries, please contact our editorial team at berlin.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for politics and economy) or frankfurt.newsroom@thomsonreuters.com (for companies and markets).)
