As the 1st Quarter of 2025 runs out

As we close in on the end of the first quarter of 2025, we find we have more missions penciled in as No Earlier Than (NET) March or the first Quarter than seem to be getting close to reality.  NextSpaceFlight.com shows 11 launches marked with a March launch date and time or as NET March or NET First quarter.  That's not surprising; there are far more ways to miss a launch goal than to make one, so some of the hoped-for launches are likely to not get off the ground.  The launches aren't all from the US, but the majority are.  The first one, however, is unique and has been talked about here before: Isar Aerospace, a German company, is to launch their Spectrum rocket from the Andøya Rocket Range in Nordland, Norway.  It's the top left square in this graphic:

Screen capture assemblage from NextSpaceflight.com - the bottom right has an April expected launch so it doesn't count. 

Isar announced on Monday March 17 that the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) issued a launch operator license to the company for its Spectrum rocket, launching from Andøya Spaceport in northern Norway.  They didn't specify an expected launch date and time, but noted, “maritime notices are in effect daily from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. local time for the launch.  The launch was stated in that linked Space News article as Thursday (March 20).  I see tonight (upper left hand square in this graphic) that it's currently penciled in for Monday at 7:30 AM EDT (1130 UTC). 

This launch is going to be A Big Deal, as we talked about in the piece here back on February 22. 

The launch will not only be the first flight by Isar Aerospace but will also be the first vertical orbital launch attempt from Europe, excluding Russia. Virgin Orbit performed an air launch from Spaceport Cornwall in the United Kingdom in January 2023, deploying its LauncherOne rocket from a Boeing 747 aircraft, but a problem with the rocket’s second stage prevented it from reaching orbit.

The launch attempt will be a major milestone for both the company and the European space industry as it seeks to expand its launch capabilities. “In today’s geopolitical climate, our first test flight is about much more than a rocket launch: Space is one of the most critical platforms for our security, resilience and technological advancement,” Daniel Metzler, chief executive and co-founder of Isar Aerospace, said in a statement. “In the next days, Isar Aerospace will lay the foundations to regain much needed independent and competitive access to space from Europe.”

Isar Aerospace's first Spectrum rocket on the pad at Andøya Spaceport ahead of its upcoming launch. Credit: Isar Aerospace

There are some interesting launches in that first graphic.  Alpha is planning to launch on Wednesday, 3/26, from Vandenberg at 9:37 AM EDT; Rocket Lab about two hours later (11:30 AM EDT) from New Zealand.  There's another Rocket Lab launch from Wallops Island, Virginia, but there's no specific date or time - it just says NET 1st quarter - the same as an Atlas V by ULA carrying Project Kuiper (Amazon's orbiting internet satellites) from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.  An interesting one that I know absolutely nothing about is from Australia.  A company called Gilmour is launching their Eris rocket's TestFlight1, "NET March 2025" from an Orbital Spaceport in Australia. 

Don't forget that the Fram2 orbital mission by SpaceX and private investor Chun Wang, to be the first manned flight ever to orbit over the Earth's poles.  Currently set for NET March 31 at 11:20 PM EDT from the Kennedy Space Center, LC-39A. 

Edit 3/22/25 at 8:25 AM:  To correct in agreement with the first comment and add the word "nothing."