German space rocket explodes seconds after takeoff from Norway

STORY: :: A German test rocket launched from Norway crashes and explodes seconds after takeoff

:: Arctic Andoeva Spaceport, Norway

:: March 30, 2025

:: ISAR Aerospace/NASASpaceflight.com

The uncrewed Spectrum rocket was billed as the first attempt at an orbital flight to originate from Europe, where several nations, including Sweden and Britain, have said they want a share of a growing market for commercial space missions.

Global players in the satellite launch market include Elon Musk’s SpaceX, which launches from the United States, and French ArianeGroup, a joint venture between Airbus and Safran that uses a spaceport in South America’s French Guiana.

SpaceX also operates the Starlink satellite service, a communications network spanning much of the globe.

Germany’s BDLI aerospace industries association said Isar’s first flight would lead to further progress, with Managing Director Marie-Christine von Hahn saying in a statement, “Europe urgently needs to ensure its sovereignty in space. Elon Musk’s Starlink is not without alternatives – nor should it be.”