The "Spectrum" rocket launched by German commercial aerospace startup Isar from the Norwegian Aerospace Center on March 30th crashed and exploded shortly after takeoff, but the company still emphasizes that the launch was successful - enough key data has been obtained. The outside world has noticed that this is an important measure for Europe to break away from its dependence on the United States and strengthen its own space launch capabilities, as the differences between the United States and its European allies continue to widen. On March 30th, the "Deutsche Welle" website reported that Isar was founded in 2018 and is considered a European benchmark for SpaceX and Blue Origin. The "Spectrum" rocket developed by the company is 28 meters high and 2 meters in diameter, using liquid oxygen and propane fuel, and can send satellites weighing 700-1000 kilograms into orbit as needed. As usual, the first launch of the rocket did not carry any payload, and the goal was to test whether the rocket's various systems were ready. The launch of the "Spectrum" rocket was originally scheduled for March 24th, but was postponed to March 30th due to weather conditions. From the live video, it can be seen that the rocket was launched normally after ignition, but then smoke began to emerge from the side, and then the rocket lost control and exploded into the sea. Nevertheless, Isar Corporation still announced the successful test launch. Even before the launch, the company clearly stated that the "Spectrum" rocket's test flight may not enter orbit, and "as long as it completes a 30 second flight, it will be considered successful". CNN 3 On the 30th, citing the company's statement, "This launch achieved its established goal: after ignition, the 'Spectrum' rocket successfully took off... because the first test flight lasted about 30 seconds, which allowed Isar to collect a large amount of flight data for future missions." The company's CEO and co-founder Daniel Metzler said, "As a company with European genes, we are proud to demonstrate that Europe has persistent bold thinking and extraordinary capabilities. We will be able to serve customers from around the world, send their satellites into space, and help Europe solve its main blind spot: entering space." Isar also stated that it will analyze all the data obtained during this launch. And return to the launch pad as soon as possible. "Currently, the second The third "Spectrum" rocket is already in production. On March 30th, The Guardian reported that Joseph Aschbach, the Director General of the European Space Agency (ESA), also "cheered" Isar on social media: "I believe Isar will learn a lot from this launch. Rocket launch is difficult. Never give up, move forward with more energy!" The dilemma facing European space is worth noting that Isar's launch of the "Spectrum" rocket is described as Europe's first attempt to launch a carrier rocket on the European continent outside of Russia. CNN mentioned that European countries have been lagging behind in the field of space launches since the Cold War era when the United States and the Soviet Union competed for supremacy. In the commercial space boom that began in the early 21st century, when American commercial space launch companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin rapidly emerged, Europe once again missed the opportunity. The report mentioned that previously, European space launches mainly relied on the European Space Agency, usually from French Guiana and Cape Canaveral Space Force Base in Florida, USA. This is largely due to the high latitude of Europe, which requires additional fuel for space launches. Due to the poor development of ESA's new generation "Ariane 6" carrier rocket, while the earlier "Ariane 5" carrier rocket was developed in the 1990s, its performance and cost have long lost competitiveness, resulting in Europe's space launch having to rely on foreign aid for a long time. The Guardian said that European space launches in the past period mainly relied on Russia. After the Russia-Ukraine conflict broke out in 2022, the space cooperation between Russia and European countries was completely interrupted, and European space launches almost entirely depended on the United States. For some military satellites with high levels of confidentiality, Europe is unwilling to entrust them to others. Nowadays, the differences between the United States and Europe are deepening, and European countries are beginning to worry about the potential risks of relying too much on the United States for space launches. Therefore, they are considering strengthening their own space capabilities. Europe is vigorously promoting space development. The Guardian reported that last year, former Italian Prime Minister and former European Central Bank President Draghi suggested in a report that Europe could strengthen its space business to promote its economic growth. Currently, several European countries, including Sweden and the UK, have expressed their desire to enter space and gain a foothold in the growing commercial space launch market. According to relevant reports, the global aerospace market may generate over £ 770 billion in revenue in the next 20 years. It is reported that in addition to Isar, several European start-up aerospace companies are also preparing to take off, including Spain's Zero 2 Infinity and PLD Space, Germany's Augsburg Rocket Factory and HyImpulse, France's Latitude Rocket Company and Maiaspace. At the same time, many parts of Europe are also building rocket launch centers. They are often set up in coastal areas, which are considered ideal locations for rocket launch sites because rockets do not have to fly over densely populated areas. The launch site of this mission, the Norwegian Aerospace Center, will be operational in 2023, with the main ground infrastructure specifically built to accommodate the Isar company's "Spectrum" rocket. In 2023, Virgin Orbit attempted to launch a small carrier rocket from the air using a modified Boeing 747 aircraft at the Cornwall Spaceport in the UK, but encountered failure. The UK also established the Sacsaywood Spaceport in the Shetland Islands of Scotland, where the RFA One rocket developed by Germany's Augsburg Rocket Factory in 2024 underwent engine testing but failed. Nevertheless, the Civil Aviation Authority of the UK approved the first vertical rocket launch from the Augsburg Rocket Factory in the UK in January of this year. In addition, Sweden has expanded the Esrange Space Center located within the Arctic Circle. The construction of these space launch sites aims to give Europe greater autonomy in space launches. Pang Zhihao, the chief science communication expert of national space exploration technology, told Global Times reporters on March 31 that the "Spectrum" carrier rocket crashed and exploded shortly after launch, which has a certain negative impact, but it may not be a great setback for Europe's ambition to launch rockets on the mainland. This accident will cause setbacks for Isar Company, requiring time and funds to investigate the cause of the accident, improve rocket design, and refine launch processes. It may also affect the company's future cooperation with partners such as the Norwegian Space Agency, and have a certain impact on the development trend of the European commercial space industry. But Pang Zhihao emphasized that the launch of the "Spectrum" rocket is an important attempt for Europe to launch rockets on the continent. Although this test flight failed, Isar Company stated that it obtained a large amount of flight data and successfully verified the flight termination system, providing a basis for subsequent improvements and helping Europe accumulate technical experience. The determination of Europe to strengthen its domestic space capabilities is firm and will not give up due to one failure. The overall strategy of launching launch vehicles on the continent is continuously advancing, and European countries hope to occupy a share in the commercial space market