European space launch company Isar Aerospace is establishing a second test facility at Esrange Space Center in Kiruna, Sweden, as it works to scale production of its Spectrum launch vehicle.
The new test site will enable the Germany-based company to test more than 30 engines per month and conduct fully integrated stage acceptance testing. The facility is being developed in partnership with SSC Space, formerly the Swedish Space Corporation, to support increased launch cadence as the company’s production facility near Munich nears completion.
The announcement comes after Isar Aerospace rescheduled its second test flight of its Spectrum rocket from Andøya spaceport in Norway to March because of a pressure valve issue. A new launch window for the Spectrum rocket opens on March 19.
Spectrum completed its first test flight in March 2025, lasting 30 seconds before crashing. The rocket is designed to transport satellites into low Earth orbit.
Can Araz, vice president Spectrum at Isar Aerospace, said, “Scaling reliable access to space requires not only advanced launch vehicle design but also the right infrastructure to support rapid development and production. With our second test facility at Esrange, we are unlocking new capabilities and accelerating our progress.”
The test sites are configured specifically for Isar Aerospace’s requirements, supporting the company’s approach of vertically integrating launch capabilities across design, manufacturing, testing and operations. The facility will provide acceptance testing capabilities to match increased launch demand.
Mats Tyni, director business development and customer operations at SSC Space, said, “This new facility strengthens Europe’s path toward scalable and reliable access to space, and it reflects the trust placed in our team’s experience in advanced rocket testing.”
Daniel Metzler, CEO at Isar Aerospace said, “We were able to quickly resolve the valve issue and clear the way for the launch preparations. Our goal with this mission is to demonstrate real progress, and to achieve that, we will once again push our systems to their limits. We are ready to proceed within the next available launch window.”
Isar Aerospace was founded in 2018 and employs more than 400 people from more than 50 nations across five international locations. The company develops, manufactures and tests launch vehicles almost entirely in-house from its headquarters near Munich.
