German company Isar Aerospace has successfully placed satellites into orbit from Norway’s Andøya Spaceport, opening a new commercial route to space from the European continent, according to NATO Allied Air Command.
The mission, named “Onward and Upward”, was the second flight of Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum launch vehicle and lifted off from the company’s launch complex at Andøya at 10:12pm CEST on 5 September. NATO said the rocket crossed the Kármán line, completed main engine cut-off and stage separation, ignited its second stage and subsequently deployed its payloads after reaching orbit.
According to Allied Air Command, the flight made Isar Aerospace the first European commercial space company to successfully deliver satellites into orbit. The mission itself was a civilian commercial launch rather than a NATO operation, but the Alliance has highlighted it as an example of the wider commercial space infrastructure on which NATO members increasingly depend. NATO does not intend to develop its own independent constellation or launch capability. Instead, it relies on space capabilities, data and services supplied by member states and the civilian and commercial sector.
That makes access to multiple launch providers and launch sites important to resilience, particularly if military communications, navigation, surveillance or other space-enabled services need to be replenished or expanded.
Norwegian Lieutenant Colonel Jørgen Tovsrud, who serves with NATO’s Space Theater Component at Ramstein, was also a director of launch operations for the mission at Andøya.
Tovsrud said: “This launch is significant because NATO’s resilience in space is closely connected to the strength of the wider space ecosystem.”
He added: “A healthy civilian and commercial sector drives innovation, expands access and strengthens the services on which modern societies and military operations increasingly depend.”
NATO formally recognised space as an operational domain in 2019 and now treats access to space-based communications, navigation, tracking, detection and situational awareness as an important part of its wider military posture. The Alliance’s Space Theater Component at Ramstein works to integrate those capabilities into NATO operations rather than operate national or commercial systems itself.
US Colonel Jonathan L. Whitaker, Chief of Staff of NATO’s Space Theater Component and Director of the NATO Space Operations Center, said the success of national programmes remained central to the Alliance’s own use of space.
He said: “Norway has been a great partner with the NATO Space Theatre Component. We are glad to call several Norwegian space officers and NCOs our teammates here at Ramstein.”
Whitaker added: “Jørgen brings a deep skillset and leadership to the NATO Space Operations Centre, and we could not be prouder to lend him back to his Nation to ensure that this launch at Andoya was a success. The success of NATO Space depends on the success of National space programs.”
