Isar Aerospace’s Spectrum lifts off on its first flight March 30, 2025. Credit: Isar Aerospace/Brady Kenniston/NASASpaceFlight.com
WASHINGTON — Nine months after European countries allocated funding for a launch program, the European Space Agency has awarded its first contracts.
ESA announced Aug. 27 that it awarded three contracts with a combined value of 543.6 million euros ($632.9 million) to Isar Aerospace, PLD Space and Rocket Factory Augsburg as part of the European Launcher Challenge, a program to support new entrants into the European launch industry.
The contracts will fund work by the companies to develop upgraded launch vehicles and support future launches. The three companies are working on small launch vehicles, none of which has reached orbit yet.
“Through this funding, ESA is supporting the development of European launch capabilities, helping to strengthen Europe’s competitiveness and broaden the range of launch services available to institutional and commercial customers,” Géraldine Naja, ESA’s director of space transportation, said in a statement.
