ESA Boost! contract for flight demonstration of Spectrum launch vehicle

Small and medium satellites can expect new launch opportunities on the Spectrum launch vehicle thanks to an ESA Boost! co-funding contract worth euro 11 m with Isar Aerospace Technologies in Germany.

The flight demonstrations of Spectrum will pave the way for an extended availability of European launch service solutions for small satellites, delivering dedicated launch opportunities.

Munich-based startup Isar Aerospace was initially supported by ESA's Business Incubation Centre Bavaria and a previous Boost! contract awarded in November 2020. It is developing a 28 m high, 2 m diameter two-stage launch vehicle with a payload capability of up to one tonne to low Earth orbits.

ESA's Boost! programme supports European entities that submit sound proposals for new commercial services to space, in space, and for return from space. Boost! brings these services towards operation, by providing co-funding, expertise and access to its facilities. This contract with Isar Aerospace follows a national selection process organised by the German Space Agency at DLR.

ESA will support Isar Aerospace with activities covering mission management, customer interactions and preparation to conduct two demonstration flights of Spectrum planned in 2022 and 2023.

ESA is also co-funding the manufacture, assembly, integration and test activities for the first stage structures of these two launch vehicles. This also includes the selection, procurement, and setup of the related manufacturing infrastructure.

These two flights will each host institutional payloads of up to 150 kg which will be selected following a DLR Announcement of Opportunity that closed in October 2021.

"We need to drive the commercialisation of the European space industry to drive our sovereignty in space. Programmes like ESA's Boost! will help us in reaching that objective," said Daniel Metzler, CEO at Isar Aerospace Technologies.

The Boost! contract was signed at ESA's European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, by Daniel Neuenschwander, ESA Director of Space Transportation and Daniel Metzler, CEO at Isar Aerospace Technologies.

"Through this contract with ISAR Aerospace, ESA Boost! provides further support to build up key expertise in industry and to advance swiftly towards concrete milestones. New market opportunities are in reach for Europe with its own small launch vehicles - a field where time is of the essence," said Daniel Neuenschwander.

Related Links
Boost at ESA
Rocket Science News at Space-Travel.Com

Tweet

Thanks for being there;
We need your help. The SpaceDaily news network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain.

With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords.

Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year.

If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.

SpaceDaily Monthly Supporter
$5+ Billed Monthly

paypal only

SpaceDaily Contributor
$5 Billed Once

credit card or paypal

Aerospike engine from Pangea Aerospace trialled on DLR test stand
Lampoldshausen, Germany (SPX) Nov 22, 2021
Unique test stands, comprehensive expertise and decades of experience - the Lampoldshausen site of the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum fur Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) specialises in developing and testing propulsion systems for spaceflight. Whether for the large launch vehicles of the Ariane family or the growing market of start-ups developing smaller rockets referred to as microlaunchers, the DLR Institute of Space Propulsion tests and qualifies technology demonstrators as well as entire ... read more