German startup's space rocket crashes seconds after takeoff from Norway

Over in Europe, a space rocket launched by German startup Isar Aerospace on Sunday local time crashed approximately 40 seconds after takeoff from a spaceport in Norway.

The uncrewed Spectrum rocket, 28 meters long, was designed to carry small and medium-sized satellites and marked Europe's first attempt at an orbital flight from the continent, excluding Russia.

Despite the outcome, Isar Aerospace's CEO said the test was a "great success," citing the collection of valuable data for future missions.

The attempt reflects Europe's ambition to establish independent space launch capabilities.