During the 14th European Space Conference in Brussels Jan. 25, Thierry Breton, the E.U. commissioner whose portfolio includes space, announced that Munich-based Isar Aerospace won the European Innovation Council Horizon Prize for low-cost space launch. Isar is developing a small launch vehicle called Spectrum whose first launch is slated for no earlier than late 2022.
Isar was one of three finalists for the prize announced earlier this month by the European Commission, along with another German small launch vehicle developer, Rocket Factory Augsburg, and Spanish company Payload Aerospace, which is working on a reusable small launcher. Those three came from an initial pool or more than 15 applicants, Breton said at a ceremony during the conference to announce the winner.
