📋 Tender Overview
On September 5, 2026, the Slovenian TRISAT-S satellite was successfully launched from Andoya, Norway, with the first space flight of the SPECTRUM launch vehicle developed by the Isar Aerospace company from Germany. TRISAT-S is already the fourth Slovenian satellite in orbit.Author: University of Maribor
The rocket is only 28 meters long and has a diameter of two meters. It was developed privately and is therefore very cost-effective to manage.
The rocket carried five small satellites and one experimental one, which were successfully launched into their target orbits. These satellites originate from Germany, Norway, Austria, Bulgaria and Slovenia and test innovative technologies and components for satellite technology.
The SPECTRUM rocket is designed to carry a payload of up to 1,000 kilograms into low Earth orbit. This makes the rocket particularly attractive for launching small satellites, which play a key role in a wide variety of applications. For example, small satellites are already a key instrument in global broadband communications and Earth observation.
TRISAT-S is already the fourth Slovenian satellite in orbit. Before that, Nemo HD, TRISAT and TRISAT-R satellites were launched in the past. It represents Slovenias bold step in the field of space technologies -- a compact satellite currently orbiting the Earth, designed as a scout for future deep space missions.
TRISAT-S is an institutional, non-commercial satellite mission led by the University of Maribor in cooperation with the Slovenian space company SkyLabs. Although operating in low Earth orbit, the mission is purpose-built to address the challenges of future deep space exploration.
Over the next five years, TRISAT-S will operate as a long-term technology demonstration to test the key capabilities required for small spacecraft with limited energy resources. The satellite is equipped with six miniature cameras, broadband communication and an energy hibernation concept based on primary batteries -- a solution that is crucial for missions where solar power generation is limited or impossible.
By demonstrating ultra-low power consumption, long-term quiescence and visual sensing of the environment in orbit, TRISAT-S lays the groundwork for future nano-probes capable of autonomous operation far from Earth.
With Slovenias membership in the European Space Agency, we enable Slovenian companies and institutions to develop technologically and pave the way to international cooperation, enabling them to fundamentally change European access to space. We are very excited about the successful flight of the Isar Aerospace SEPCTRUM rocket with the TRISAT-S satellite, and we congratulate the teams of Isar Aerospace, the University of Maribor and Skylabs for their outstanding achievement. Not only have you reached a technological milestone, but you have also redefined the path for independent European access to space - a clear sign of innovative strength and cooperation, said Tanja Permozer, Head of the Slovenian Space Office.
Europes independent access to space
Space is indispensable in modern life. Whether its navigation, stock trading or broadband communication, much of our daily life would hardly function without help from space. Europes independent access to space is therefore essential - especially given the current global situation. Privately developed launch vehicles are an important building block for Europe to ensure cost-effective and reliable access to space in the future.
Watch the video of the launch (in English)
