Isar Aerospace

Isar Aerospace is a German aerospace company founded in March 2018 by Daniel Metzler (CEO), Markus Brandl, and Josef Peter Fleischmann, who met at Technical University of Munich. Headquartered in Ottobrunn near Munich, the company has grown to over 400 employees from 50+ nations across five international locations. Former SpaceX executive Bulent Altan serves as chairman. Isar develops the Spectrum rocket, a 28-meter tall, 2-meter diameter two-stage launch vehicle powered by ten in-house developed Aquila engines burning liquid oxygen and propane, targeting 1,000 kg to LEO at €10,000 per kg. With over €400 million in total funding including a €165 million Series C and €70 million extension from NATO Innovation Fund, Isar signed contracts to launch from Andøya, SaxaVord in Scotland, and CNES's Guiana Space Centre. On March 30, 2025, Isar became the first European commercial company to launch an orbital rocket from Continental Europe, though the maiden flight failed at T+30 seconds. The company is building the world's most modern production facility near Munich capable of producing 40 Spectrum rockets annually, targeting 6-8 launches by 2028.