Europe is finally getting serious about commercial rockets
1 min read
Summary
Europe is seeking to reduce its reliance on US-made rockets, with several commercial firms planning launches of their own in the coming months.
Germany’s Isar Aerospace plans to launch its Spectrum rocket from a spaceport at Andøya Island, Norway, this year.
The UK’s Orbex and Germany’s Rocket Factory Augsburg are also preparing for launches.
European rockets are typically smaller than those launched by US firm SpaceX, but experts say they offer advantages by launching satellites from Europe and allowing firms to launch payloads into specific orbits.
The European Space Agency (ESA) is supporting private rocket launch firms through its Boost programme, which has provided $48m to four companies, with the hope it will soon be launching from Europe regularly.