SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighed in after Germany’s Spectrum rocket suffered a catastrophic failure, crashing into the sea just 30 seconds after liftoff. The billionaire entrepreneur acknowledged the challenges of spaceflight, noting on X, “Space is hard. Took @SpaceX 4 tries to reach orbit.” He added that while Isar Aerospace could succeed in fewer attempts, achieving true reusability remains a far greater challenge—one that only SpaceX has mastered.
Musk’s comments came after the failed test flight by German start-up Isar Aerospace, which attempted to launch its Spectrum rocket from Norway’s Andoya Spaceport on Sunday. The vehicle lifted off successfully but plummeted back down in a fiery explosion, forcing an early termination of the mission.
Fiery crash ends first test flight
The launch, which took place at 12:30 pm local time (1030 GMT), was Europe’s first privately financed attempt at an orbital launch. Despite the failure, Isar Aerospace insisted that the mission had met its key objectives.
“Our first test flight met all our expectations, achieving a great success,” said Isar Aerospace co-founder and CEO Daniel Metzler. “We had a clean liftoff, 30 seconds of flight and even got to validate our Flight Termination System.”
The company had not anticipated reaching orbit on its first try, instead aiming to collect crucial flight data. Two additional Spectrum rockets are currently in development.
Norwegian authorities confirmed that no injuries or damage beyond the rocket itself had been reported. Andoya Space, which operates the launch site, stated that crisis response measures were activated following the incident.
Germany’s space ambitions face setback
The failed launch highlights the challenges Europe faces in developing independent space access. Since the loss of Russian launch capabilities following Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the continent has struggled with delays in the Ariane 6 programme and issues with the Vega-C launcher.
Despite the setback, Germany’s Economy Minister Robert Habeck expressed optimism about Isar Aerospace’s role in Europe’s future space efforts.
“Today is an important day for German and European space travel,” Habeck said, adding that the company’s work would strengthen Europe’s access to space.
Founded in 2018, Isar Aerospace is one of several European start-ups competing in the small-satellite launch market. Other companies, including Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg, France’s MaiaSpace, and Spain’s PLD Space, are also vying for a position in the rapidly growing industry.