Private German Rocket Makes History, Reaches Orbit From European Soil (dw.com)
- Reference: 0185457750
- News link: https://science.slashdot.org/story/26/09/06/0446242/private-german-rocket-makes-history-reaches-orbit-from-european-soil
- Source link: https://www.dw.com/en/german-company-successfully-launches-rocket-to-space/a-79050717
DW.com reports that a Spectrum space rocket from German company Isar Aerospace [2]launched today from the Arctic Norwegian spaceport at Andoya :
> "Germany has spaceflight capabilities," said the country's Ministry for Research, Technology and Space on X, praising a "milestone that impressively demonstrates our country's innovative strength and technical expertise". This was the German company's second attempt to launch the Spectrum rocket into space. The first attempt, which took place 18 months ago, [3]was unsuccessful .
>
> The Spectrum rocket is designed for small and medium-sized payloads. It carried five smal satellites and an in-flight technological experiment, the company said. According to Isar Aerospace, the launch was for "both the vehicle's qualification mission and its first flight carrying payload." The move is believed to bring Europe closer to being able to offer satellite flights from its own territory. Several countries voiced interest in the growing market of commercial space missions, including Britain and Sweden...
>
> Isar is also working on the development of a second launch site, located in Canada. The company said that while the US launched 198 rockets last year, Europe's tally was just eight. Isar's goal is to produce some 40 rockets a year. Although the rocket is not yet ready for mass production, Isar has already received orders through 2028.
[4]Today's launch webcast was produced in collaboration with NASASpaceflight, [5]notes Space.com . And they note that Spectrum chief engineer Nikolaos Perakis says"This is just the beginning... I'm really looking forward to the next steps."
[6]Reuters quotes this statemnt from Norway's minister of industry and commerce, Cecilie Myrseth. "The fact that we can now launch satellites from Andoeya strengthens Norwegian and European security in the turbulent times we live in."
[1] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/isar-aerospace-second-launch-norway-andoya-spaceport-spectrum-rocket
[2] https://www.dw.com/en/german-company-successfully-launches-rocket-to-space/a-79050717
[3] https://science.slashdot.org/story/25/03/31/217214/first-flight-of-isar-aerospaces-spectrum-rocket-lasted-just-40-seconds
[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ss1DUqLjecc
[5] https://www.space.com/space-exploration/launches-spacecraft/isar-aerospace-second-launch-norway-andoya-spaceport-spectrum-rocket
[6] https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/german-space-rocket-lifts-off-norway-base-2026-09-05/
Headline incorrect. This is not rocket science FFS (Score:2)
If someone writes "No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil" then you cannot just miss out qualifying words like "Western" to make a headline.
If I write a story saying "Greytree is the fastest 100m runner called Greytree" you cannot post a story with the headline "Greytree is the fastest 100m runner".
This is Journalism 101, not rocket science.
Re: (Score:2)
The headline can remove "Western [Europe]" by swapping it for "private [Rocket]", both being separately a historical first.
Re: (Score:2)
Lol. You mean the "retarded" Nazi German kid who taught the cool kids how to build rockets to send a man into space? *That* retarded kid?
Psst! He's been doing his own thing all along. You were just convenient helping hands.
Re: Headline incorrect. This is not rocket science (Score:1)
But, Poland cannot into space Some things never change.
Re: (Score:2)
> If someone writes "No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil" then you cannot just miss out qualifying words like "Western" to make a headline. If I write a story saying "Greytree is the fastest 100m runner called Greytree" you cannot post a story with the headline "Greytree is the fastest 100m runner". This is Journalism 101, not rocket science.
Soo.... you aren't the fastest 100m runner? 8^)
Re: (Score:2)
The hourglass don't lie.
That's news for Putin (Score:2)
Hopefully he reads Slashdot.
Re: (Score:2)
Russia does launch rockets from its soil. They use Baikonur, Kazakhstan, a country considered Central Asian.
Re: (Score:2)
I meant space rockets.
Is there a contest? (Score:3)
This isn't a contest as far as I know. Well maybe it is for the checkbox people. With prizes for "firsts"
What this is, is showing just how far rocketry has been reduced to practice, which is not a bad thing at all.
Modern Rocketry is nearly a century old, the operational process that the Germans brought to fruition in WW2 has been refined, but yeah, contemporary liquid fueled rocket engines are tweaks of the original. Tweaks of fuel types, gimbaling, pump capacity, and now we have to go to check boxing for "firsts".
Solid rocket boosters are also largely reduced to practice.
It's all good people, now a lot of groups can participate.
Re: Is there a contest? (Score:2)
> This isn't a contest as far as I know. Well maybe it is for the checkbox people. With prizes for "firsts"
The commercialization of spaceflight IS a contest. Not sure what else to say, I thought people knew what was going on.
Re: (Score:2)
>> This isn't a contest as far as I know. Well maybe it is for the checkbox people. With prizes for "firsts"
> The commercialization of spaceflight IS a contest. Not sure what else to say, I thought people knew what was going on.
Whoosh.
Way to miss the point. My point, which is summarized concisely in the first paragraph in the story, to wit:
"No rocket had ever reached orbit from Western European soil — until today,"
Do we have data on how many rockets were launched on say Thursday mornings at 0710? By a team of Lithuanian "little people"?
It is painfully obvious they are check boxing when they go on to list more competition among the spaceworthy:
> "The company said that while the US launched 198 rockets last year, Europe's tally was just eight"If it is as you say, a competition, then this company only has 197 more launches, think they'll make it?
> Much more interesting at least to me, is the location of the launch. Above the Arctic Circle, good for circumpolar orbits - mostly the province of spy sats. But let's look a little deeper.
> About 950 miles or 1529 Kilometers away from Greenland! Perhaps a little geopolitical shot across the bow to a rather unpopular president, who seems to have a weird rageboner to occupy Greenland?
Germans launch big rocket (Score:5, Insightful)
I'm glad I lived long enough for the Germans to launch a big rocket and hear the Norwegians say that it strengthens European security.
Re: (Score:2)
"Once the rockets are up, who cares where they come down?
That's not my department!" says Wernher von Braun.
- Tom Lehrer