Europe tries to launch a rocket, but it explodes after 40 seconds

The Spectrum rocket, designed by Isar Aerospace in Germany, attempted its first orbital flight from the Andøya Spaceport base in Norway. This is the first time that a private company on the European continent has attempted a launch into orbit. Lift-off seemed to go well, but the craft exploded after 44 seconds in mid-air. No further technical details have yet been released. No casualties reported. This was an important initiative for Europe's private space sector, which is still underdeveloped compared with other regions.