Bloomberg
• Paula Doenecke
German startup Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Norway, pursuing the first commercial mission to reach orbit from continental Europe. The flight represents a milestone attempt for Europe’s emerging private launch sector, though the mission’s success depends on the rocket completing its inaugural orbital flight.
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German startup Isar Aerospace launched its Spectrum rocket from Norway, pursuing the first commercial mission to reach orbit from continental Europe. The flight represents a milestone attempt for Europe’s emerging private launch sector, though the mission’s success depends on the rocket completing its inaugural orbital flight.
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A two-seat Hellenic Air Force F-4 Phantom crashed during a low-altitude flying display at Tanagra Air Base north of Athens. Both crew members were killed, and the air force is investigating the cause of the accident, including the circumstances surrounding the apparent lack of ejection.
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German launch startup Isar Aerospace is preparing to fly its Spectrum small-satellite launcher from Norway in a bid to become the first private vehicle to reach orbit from European soil. The mission follows months of delays and aborted attempts after Spectrum’s first flight ended in the sea.
Residents of Boryspil, a satellite town of Kyiv, are adapting to a new reality of near-constant Russian drone attacks. For Kostyantyn Kuts, regular nighttime air raids have become routine, but the intensity and persistence of activity over the past week mark a notable change.
Pratt & Whitney plans to make another investment in its Polish operations, adding to the $100 million it has already committed to expand a separate facility in the country. The moves signal continued investment in its European manufacturing footprint.
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France is minimizing the significance of SpaceX and Blue Origin skipping next week’s Paris space summit, an event organized by President Emmanuel Macron. The gathering faces broader headwinds as Europe seeks to strengthen its space position amid intense competition from U.S. commercial providers.
ST Engineering iDirect demonstrated a pilot version of its INT3000 user equipment modem at the European Space Agency’s 5G NTN Forum. The multi-waveform 5G New Radio Non-Terrestrial Network device is intended to extend iDirect’s satellite networking technology into the broader 5G ecosystem, including aircraft connectivity applications.
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Airbus reached a preliminary agreement with four unions representing workers at its Spanish plants after more than two months of strikes and government-mediated talks. The dispute included demands for an 18% pay increase; the agreement marks a potential breakthrough but does not yet establish that the industrial action has ended.
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