Munich, 06 December 2022 – Today, at the first German Small Satellite conference, Isar Aerospace and the German Space Agency at DLR have announced the selection of payloads for the second flight of the company’s launch vehicle Spectrum, planned for 2023-2024. The payloads have been selected in the process of the Microlauncher competition, which included an Announcement of Opportunity for European payloads to come on board Spectrum's second flight for free. The small satellites, with a total mass of approx. 150 kg, including the deployers, will be transported into a LEO orbit from Andøya in Norway.

Selected payloads from European research institutes, student research groups and SMEs mainly used to demonstrate technologies

Ten European research institutions and small to medium-sized companies, a total of 19 spacecrafts, from Austria, Bulgaria, Finland, Germany, Norway, and Spain, have won the competition and were selected to fly on Spectrum’s second flight.

Research institutes and student research groups:

• Austria, Vienna (TU Vienna Space Team)
• Finland, Vaasa (University of Vaasa)
• Germany, Berlin (Technical University Berlin)
• Germany, Bremen (German Aerospace Center - Institute of Space Systems)
• Norway, Trondheim (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)
• Spain, Madrid (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid)

• Bulgaria, Sofia (EnduroSat)
• Finland, Helsinki (ReOrbit Oy)
• Spain, Elche (EMXYS)
• Spain, Nigrán (UARX Space)

The selected payloads are in-orbit demonstration and validation of technologies ranging from IoT and AI applications to communication, Earth observation, and environmental measurements. These technologies will help the institutes and companies to gain experience and validate their products.

An important building block for the development of Europe’s commercial private space ecosystem

With the Microlauncher competition, the German government entrusts a privately financed European space company under the ESA C-STS program to transport institutional payloads into orbit. “Congratulations to the winners of this round! We are pleased to welcome the payloads onboard of Spectrum’s second flight and very happy to provide such great projects with access to space. Pushing the development of research and technology in space will help grow the overall private space ecosystem in Europe,” says Daniel Metzler, CEO of Isar Aerospace.

DLR and ESA have set up the Microlauncher competition as a program to drive forward the commercialization of European spaceflight and drive competition, especially in the field of smaller payloads. Isar Aerospace achieved the top place in the German Microlauncher competition in April 2021, for which it received 11 million euros towards the launch of institutional payloads on its first two flights. “Technological excellence and cost-efficient value creation processes are the basis for positioning oneself successfully in the dynamic and growing small satellite market. Start-ups and SMEs play an essential role here due to their agility," says Walther Pelzer, Member of the DLR Executive Board and Director General of the German Space Agency at DLR. "The reliable prospect of public contracts helps young companies in particular to secure funding. Our microlauncher and payload competitions are key elements here," adds Pelzer, referring to the role of the state as an anchor customer.

About Isar Aerospace

Isar Aerospace, based in Ottobrunn/Munich, develops and builds launch vehicles for transporting small and medium-sized satellites as well as satellite constellations into Earth’s orbit. The company was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Technical University Munich. Since then, it has grown to more than 300 employees from more than 40 nations with many years of hands-on rocket know-how as well as experience within other high-tech industries. The company is privately financed by former SpaceX VP Bulent Altan as well as world-leading investors including Airbus Ventures, Apeiron, Earlybird, HV Capital, Lakestar, Lombard Odier, Porsche SE, UVC Partners, and Vsquared Ventures.

Source: Isar Aerospace

Munich, 22 June 2022 – Isar Aerospace announced today that it has entered into a firm launch services agreement with space infrastructure pioneer D-Orbit. The company’s launch vehicle Spectrum, which is developed for small and medium satellites and satellite constellations, will launch D-Orbit’s ION Satellite Carrier as a primary customer to a Sun-synchronous orbit from its launch site in Andøya, Norway with a launch term starting in 2023.

With a massively growing demand for both fast and flexible access to space and smart logistics technology in space, Isar Aerospace and D-Orbit complement services and join forces in driving the NewSpace industry. Both companies share the mission to contribute to humanity’s progress and our planet’s sustainable, technological, and economic development by reducing the barriers to access space. Thereby they are offering start-ups, companies, and public institutions opportunities to launch and place satellites in orbit in a flexible and cost-efficient way.

Based in Italy, D-Orbit is the first company to address the logistical needs of the space market. With its ION Satellite Carrier, the company can gear satellites to distinct spots in orbit, hosting several payloads during each mission. The company’s solution is to reduce the time from launch to operations by up to 85% and the launch costs of an entire satellite constellation by up to 40%. Earlier this year, D-Orbit announced plans to go public through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company.

“We are pleased to welcome D-Orbit on board Spectrum’s flight and thank the D-Orbit team for the trust they place in us. We are looking forward to working towards our common goal of reducing the barriers to flexible space access”, says Stella Guillen, Chief Commercial Officer of Isar Aerospace.

While currently most satellite constellations are launched to Sun-synchronous orbits, the demand for individual solutions is rising as many satellite constellations require specific orbit deployments to unfold their full efficiency. D-Orbit was the first in-space transportation company to prove it could move satellites in orbit to their desired orbital destinations from the point where a launch vehicle drops them off. This matches Isar Aerospace’s flexibility to target various orbits and will be further specified by D-Orbit’s capabilities to release satellites to distinct orbital slots.

Renato Panesi, Co-Founder and Chief Commercial Officer of D-Orbit adds: “We are glad to partner with Isar Aerospace and have great confidence in the technological development of the Spectrum launch vehicle. Together we will leverage the potential of in-orbit transportation.”

About D-Orbit

D-Orbit is a market leader in the space logistics and transportation services industry with a track record of space-proven technologies and successful missions.

D-Orbit is the first company addressing the logistics needs of the space market. ION Satellite Carrier, for example, is a space vehicle that can transport satellites in orbit and release them individually into distinct orbital slots, reducing the time from launch to operations by up to 85% and the launch costs of an entire satellite constellation by up to 40%. ION can also accommodate multiple third-party payloads like innovative technologies developed by startups, experiments from research entities, and instruments from traditional space companies requiring a test in orbit.

D-Orbit has offices in Italy, Portugal, the UK, and the US; its commitment to pursuing business models that are profitable, friendly for the environment, and socially beneficial, led to D-Orbit S.p.A. becoming the first certified B-Corp space company in the world.

About Isar Aerospace

Isar Aerospace, based in Ottobrunn/Munich, develops and builds launch vehicles for transporting small and medium-sized satellites as well as satellite constellations into Earth’s orbit. The company was founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Technical University Munich. Since then, it has grown to more than 250 employees from more than 40 nations with many years of hands-on rocket know-how as well as experience within other high-tech industries. The company is privately financed by former SpaceX VP Bulent Altan as well as world-leading investors including Airbus Ventures, Apeiron, Earlybird, HV Capital, Lakestar, Lombard Odier, Porsche SE, UVC Partners, and Vsquared Ventures.

Source: Isar Aerospace

Munich, Brussels, 25 January 2022 – Isar Aerospace, the leading European launch service provider focusing on small and medium satellite deployment, announced today that it has won the European Commission’s EIC Horizon Prize “Low-Cost Space Launch”, receiving 10 million euros in prize money. The European Commission’s award was given to Isar Aerospace for its launch service solution using ‘Spectrum’, a two-stage launch vehicle that offers flexible and cost-efficient access to space for small and medium-sized satellites and constellations and drives the quest for European sovereignty in space.

The formal prize announcement was made during the 14th European Space Conference in Brussels today, 25 January 2022, with European Commissioner Thierry Breton handing over a cheque of 10 million euros to Daniel Metzler, CEO and Co-Founder of Isar Aerospace, who stated: “I am beyond proud! Winning the EIC Horizon Prize is not only a great success for the Isar Aerospace team and a proof of what we have already achieved, but it is also a vote of trust by the European Commission.”

The European Commission’s EIC Horizon Prize “Low-Cost Space Launch” is a funding opportunity in the frame of the Horizon 2020 Research & Innovation Programme under the European Innovation Council Pilot, which aims to identify and support breakthrough technologies and game changing innovations that create new markets and can be scaled up internationally. Isar Aerospace received the highest cumulative score for the award criteria of “excellence, technical implementation, and service sustainability of the solution”. With its mature solution, the company prevailed over the other two nominated finalists. The prize money of 10 million euros will be used to further invest in research and development capabilities as well as in test and launch infrastructure.

Solidifying Isar Aerospace’s position as Europe’s leading microlauncher company

Since its founding in 2018, Isar Aerospace has raised private funding of more than 150 million euros and attracted both commercial and institutional customers. The production of Spectrum is on track: the company has completed the build-up of its in-house, vertically integrated manufacturing facility and it is now working on achieving testing milestones leading towards the first test flight, which is planned for the end of 2022. This prize confirms Isar Aerospace to be the leading privately funded European launch service provider focusing on small and medium satellite deployment and recognizes its commercial and innovation driven solution. Furthermore, this award supports the company in driving the change in the European launch industry and helps to shape the future of the ecosystem.

Prize marks an important moment in Europe’s path to achieving sovereignty in space

Technology in space such as satellite-based communication networks and earth observation used to provide crucial insights to tackling climate change are an essential backbone for all technologies on earth, both in the commercial sphere and in our daily lives. The competitiveness and autonomy of Europe’s economy strongly depends on being able to independently place satellites and satellite constellations into Earth’s orbits. European launch technology thus is a fundamental part of Europe’s technological sovereignty.

“Europe is a big part of Isar Aerospace’s DNA – more than 90% of our investors are European and about 90% of our development, production and supply chain lies within the EU. We are proud to be part of the European ecosystem, but we are also convinced that Europe needs to further promote competition and commercialization to achieve sovereign and flexible launch access, strengthen innovative technologies and reduce its dependency on foreign infrastructure and technologies. It is therefore our joint task to actively shape Europe’s space industry to achieve the EU’s ambitious space agenda and actively shape the global space industry,” says Daniel Metzler, CEO of Isar Aerospace.

"On behalf of the German Government, I want to congratulate the entire Isar Aerospace team for winning the EIC Horizon price "Low-Cost Space Launch". Advanced technologies in space are key for monitoring and tracking climate change and enable important applications like earth observation. Innovative approaches like new public procurement and this Prize are important elements for a dynamic European Space ecosystem and the way forward to provide sovereign, flexible and highly cost-efficient access to space in Europe," says Dr. Anna Christmann, Coordinator for Aerospace Policy at the German Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action.

The prize will allow Isar Aerospace to continue driving the progress of the European launch industry, spurring innovation and the independent future of European space. "Congratulations to Isar Aerospace Technologies the winner of the EIC Horizon prize for low cost space launch, which will stimulate European leadership in this deep tech sector. Support for space research and innovation will be further strengthened through Horizon Europe to boost excellence and leadership throughout Europe," says Mariya Gabriel, European Commissioner for Innovation, Research, Culture, Education and Youth. “This prize shows the importance of innovation for space technology. It represents a step ahead in our ambition to stimulate innovation and reinforce an autonomous access to space. Their solution will greatly contribute to supporting our European ambitions in space for an autonomous, reliable and cost-effective access to space," says Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for Internal Market.

About Isar Aerospace

Isar Aerospace, based in Ottobrunn/Munich, develops and builds launch vehicles for transporting small and medium-sized satellites as well as satellite constellations into Earth’s orbit. The company was founded in 2018 by Daniel Metzler, Josef Fleischmann, and Markus Brandl. Since then, it has grown to more than 220 employees from more than 40 nations with many years of hands-on rocket know-how as well as experience within other high-tech industries. The company is privately financed by former SpaceX VP Bulent Altan as well as leading investors including Airbus Ventures, Apeiron, Earlybird, HV Capital, Lakestar, Lombard Odier, Porsche SE, UVC Partners, and Vsquared Ventures.

Source: Isar Aerospace