Germany’s largest rocket since the V-2, launched from a Norwegian spaceport, crashed and exploded just 40 seconds after liftoff. The uncrewed Spectrum rocket was designed to kick-start satellite launches from Europe, but failed in its inaugural test flight.
Developed by Isar Aerospace, the two-stage orbital launch vehicle aimed to put small and medium satellites into orbit. Weighing 28 meters long, it powered with 10 engines developed by the company itself.
Isar’s CEO Daniel Metzler described the test as “a great success,” despite its failure, citing valuable data collected from the flight. The company plans to use this data to improve its technology.
The failed launch comes amid a growing interest in satellite constellations among European nations, including Sweden and Britain. Companies like SpaceX and France’s ArianeGroup are already making strides in the market.
Other players include Orbex, building the UK’s first British-manufactured orbital rocket, Prime, set to launch later this year. China is also expanding its presence with recent satellite launches using a Long March-7A rocket.
Source: https://www.yahoo.com/news/germany-largest-rocket-since-v-151046146.html