Onward and Upward on Spectrum — launch time & how to watch

Isar Aerospace's Spectrum rocket is scheduled to launch on the "Onward and Upward" mission no earlier than August 31, 2026, 00:00 UTC, from the Orbital Launch Pad at Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway. Spectrum is a two-stage orbital rocket built by German startup Isar Aerospace, designed to carry small and medium satellites to low Earth orbit.

What is Spectrum?

Spectrum is Isar Aerospace's flagship launch vehicle and the first orbital rocket developed by a private German company. Standing roughly 28 meters tall and 2 meters in diameter, it is powered by nine of the company's in-house Aquila engines on the first stage and a single Aquila on the second stage, all burning liquid oxygen and propane. The rocket is designed to deliver up to 1,000 kg to a 500 km low Earth orbit, targeting the fast-growing small-satellite constellation market.

According to Isar Aerospace, Spectrum is manufactured largely in-house at the company's facility near Munich, with a strong focus on automation and additive manufacturing to keep production costs low and cadence high.

When is the launch?

The current target is August 31, 2026, at 00:00 UTC. The status is listed as TBD, meaning the date and time are provisional and subject to change based on vehicle readiness, range availability, and weather over the Norwegian Sea. Early Spectrum flights are treated as test missions, so schedule slips are common.

Where is it launching from?

The launch lifts off from Andøya Spaceport, located on the island of Andøya in northern Norway above the Arctic Circle. Andøya's high-latitude coastal position gives it a clear northward corridor over open ocean, making it well suited for polar and sun-synchronous orbits favored by Earth-observation and communications satellites. It is continental Europe's first operational orbital launch site.

What is the payload?

Specific payload details for the Onward and Upward mission have not been confirmed in the available launch data. Early Spectrum flights primarily serve to validate the vehicle's performance, staging, and guidance rather than to deploy operational commercial payloads. Isar Aerospace has signed agreements with multiple small-satellite operators for future dedicated and rideshare missions once the vehicle is proven.

How to watch the launch live

Isar Aerospace typically streams its launches via an official webcast, with timing announced in the days leading up to liftoff. Because the mission is still marked TBD, confirm the final launch window before tuning in.

• Check the rocket launch schedule on Cosmik for the latest confirmed time.
• Follow the vehicle and deployed satellites on the live 3D satellite map.
• Read the latest launch news for updates on any schedule changes.

Why this launch matters

A successful Spectrum flight advances Europe's push toward independent, commercial access to orbit. With most small-satellite launches historically relying on U.S., Indian, or Russian rockets, a home-grown European vehicle broadens options for operators seeking flexible, dedicated rides to polar orbit. Each early Spectrum mission builds the flight-proven track record needed to unlock a higher launch cadence.

You can learn more about the vehicle and operator via Spectrum on Wikipedia, Isar Aerospace, and Andøya Spaceport. Launch data is sourced from The Space Devs Launch Library.

Track it live on Cosmik

Follow the Onward and Upward mission in real time on Cosmik and enable free launch alerts so you never miss liftoff. Once Spectrum reaches orbit, watch its deployed satellites circle the planet on our live satellite tracker.