Isar Aerospace reaches orbit in historic European rocket launch

German startup Isar Aerospace reached orbit on its second test flight, a milestone that highlights growing momentum in Europe’s commercial space sector. The Munichbased company also said it successfully deployed payloads into low Earth orbit during the launch over the weekend. Chief Commercial Officer Stella Guillen said on CNBC that the company is now focused on scaling production and increasing launch frequency. She said demand for launch services is strong and that Isar’s pipeline is worth more than 10 billion euros, though the company did not specify how much is already contracted. Isar Aerospace says it needs broader launch infrastructure in Europe to support expansion. The privately held company has backing from investors including Porsche, Lakestar, HV Capital, and the NATO Innovation Fund, and raised 270 million euros in June to help expand production and its launch network.