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CurtisLeow t1_je15eph wrote

> In addition to working on the launch facility, Isar began discussions with the Norwegian government regarding launch licenses last year.

Norway is suitable for test launches and polar launches. But that is not a suitable launch site for the vast majority of orbital launches. They need a launch site closer to the equator, with a large area to the east clear of people so the rocket can launch in the direction of the Earth’s rotation. Long term where do they plan on launching?

The rocket is very reminiscent of the Falcon 9, but smaller. Its a bit bigger than Electron. It’s good that Europe is finally coming around to that design. But they will need billions of dollars in contracts or investments, if they are serious about competing with American rockets. A couple hundred might be good for a couple test launches, that’s it.

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sryforcomment t1_je16pn0 wrote

Isar Aerospace already has a binding agreement with CNES to launch from the work-in-progress commercial launch complex at Kourou (French Guiana).

> As the first privately funded launch company, Isar Aerospace has signed a binding agreement with the French space agency CNES (Centre national d'études spatiales, National Center for Space Research) for the use of the launch site in Kourou. [...] Before the launches take place, the appropriate infrastructure is still to be built at the "Centre Spatial Guyanais" (CSG) launch site.

(Source: Astrodrom, 21 July 2022).

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robotical712 t1_je22th4 wrote

A place to launch from does them no good if they don't have something to launch.

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